It was in Philadelphia, when he played for the Flyers, that Lightning goaltender Antero Niittymaki got the nickname.

Then Flyers coach Ken Yap Hitchcock took the obvious, required-by-law hockey nickname – Niitty – and turned it on its ear.

So Niittymaki became Frank in honor of long-dead prohibition-era Chicago gangster Frank The Enforcer Nitti, made famous in the Untouchables TV series and movie. Next thing, Niittymaki had Nittis likeness, a machine gun and even bullet holes painted on his goaltenders mask.

Id heard of him, seen the movie, Niittymaki said. Nitti wasnt a very good guy. But I went along with it.

Now the Lightning are going along with Niittymaki, who is very much a good guy, and who has as hot a hand in goal as anyone in hockey.

Hes 6-0-1 in his last seven starts with a stunning 1.24 goals-against average and .958 save percentage. This Niitty and his mob are suddenly playoff contenders. He is backing up the Lightning night after night, saving the club from its decided lack of scoring punch. Meet the man who, as much as anyone, has saved this Lightning season.

Hes been unbelievable, Coach Rick Tocchet said.

Niittymaki will make his 13th start in 14 games when the Bolts face the Canucks at the Forum tonight. Mike Smith, the No. 1 Lightning goaltender entering the season, has battled injuries, but even when he has been healthy, weve wondered if he was really worth trading Brad Richards.

Were not saying Niittymakis streak wont end, but right now hes among the biggest steals of free agency, with Bolts GM Brian Lawton apparently getting this one right.

And to think the 29-year-old Niittymaki had a lot of offers last offseason. He considered playing in Russia. because I had to, he said. But hes making good on this chance.

Its nothing new. Four years ago, right about this time of year, Finland, a goaltending hotbed, put together its hockey team for the 2006 Winter Olympics.

No Niitty.

I wasnt on the team in the first place, Niittymaki said.

But Kari Lehtonen and Miikka Kiprusoff dropped out with injuries. Niittymaki got his chance. He only pitched three shutouts in six games and was named Olympic tournament MVP for taking the Finns to the silver medal.

The Winter Games of Vancouver begin Friday.

Niittymaki made the team.

He counts that 2006 Olympics among his greatest moments, along with leading the AHL Philadelphia Phantoms to the 2005 Calder Cup. He was MVP then, too.

But Niittymaki never truly made it big in four full seasons with the Flyers. He was seen as streaky, but he fought hip injuries, plus he was always looking over his shoulder.

He could win six games in a row, but if he had a bad one, hed sit, Tocchet said.

There arent many No. 1s who are always going to play, Niittymaki said. He thought of New Jerseys Martin Brodeur, also of Vancouvers Roberto Luongo, who the Bolts could face tonight. Niittymaki has never thought in terms of 1 or 2.

If you think youre a No. 2, you start playing like a No. 2, he said.

Mike Smith sits and waits. Antero Niittymaki is rolling.

He has had few dips this season, one coming after his third child, daughter Alina, was born the day after Christmas – seven weeks premature. It wasnt life threatening (shes fine now) but the stress was there.

You dont realize it, but there was a lot going on, days going from work to the hospital, Niittymaki said.

Posted on February 23rd, 2010 by admin
Filed under: NHL hockey news