NOTES FROM THE NET: GOALIE PROFILE 🥅 MIKE SMITH

Mike Smith is defying Father Time in this year’s playoffs. Legendary goaltender Martin Brodeur did much the same thing in 2012.

Smith is coming off perhaps his greatest playoff start ever in game three as the Oilers took a two-to-one series lead over the Calgary Flames where he was victorious in a 4-1 game that saw him stop 24 of Calgary’s 25 shots.
Smith did exit play for a few minutes to be evaluated in concussion protocol after the Milan Lucic hit heard around Alberta. Add that to his deciding game seven shutout victory over the Los Angeles Kings in the playoffs’ opening round and Smith keeps adding to his impressive resume.

Mike Smith is going where few other NHL goalies in their 40th year have ever gone. In fact only one other 40-year-old goalie, Jacques Plante in 1969, ever posted a better save percentage than Smith’ s .927 this year. Plante was at .950 in 10 games for the St. Louis Blues.

It’s been an epic performance from Smith so far, the streak culminated with Smith outplaying first Jonathan Quick in the Los Angeles series, then Jacob Markstrom in the Battle of Alberta.

Smith was strong down the stretch; he had back-to-back shutouts, 4-0 wins against the Nashville Predators on April 14 and Vegas Golden Knights on April 16, becoming the sixth goalie at age 40 or older to do so, joining Dominik Hasek (twice), Johnny Bower (twice), Martin Brodeur, Dwayne Roloson and George Hainsworth.

Smith signed with the Oilers as a free agent on July 1, 2019. He is in the first of the two-year, $4.4 million contract ($2.2 million average annual value) he signed to remain with them on July 24, 2021. Smith is 299-263-78 with a 2.70 GAA, .912 save percentage and 44 shutouts in 670 NHL games (645 starts) with the Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, Coyotes, Calgary Flames and Oilers. He's getting another chance to get to the Cup Final, and his teammates said they believe he can help get them there.