His numbers to date are outstanding, but don't be so quick to anoint Ty Conklin as the Pittsburgh Penguins' savior between the pipes.

History suggests otherwise.

Goaltender is a strange position in the NHL. Very few goalies in the league have been very good for a very long time.

That's what makes guys like Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy so special.

The last truly great Penguins goalie was Tom Barrasso, who was part of winning the Stanley Cup in 1991 and 1992.

Since then, there has been a parade of pretenders manning the net for the Pens, with each enjoying a flurry of successful games similar to Conklin at some point.

Surely, some of these names will ring a bell:Ron Tugnutt, Peter Skudra, Johan Hedberg, John-Sebastien Aubin, Patrick Lalime, Sebastien Caron and Jocelyn Thibault.

All came and went rather quickly, but not without a few moments in the limelight.

When Dany Sabourin was outplaying Marc-Andre Fleury early this season, fans were clamoring for Sabourin to get more playing time.

In fact, when Fleury was sidelined with his high ankle sprain, nobody panicked because Sabourin had been playing so well.

Monday night against Washington, a sellout crowd cheered rabidly when Sabourin was pulled from the game in favor of Conklin after allowing four goals on 13 shots.

How soon they forget.

The Penguins have been riding a wave in Conklin's stellar play between the pipes. He was 10-1-1 in his first 12 starts for the Penguins, compiling a 1.83 goals against average and a .946 save percentage.

Such figures would lead the league if projected over a full season.

But it doesn't work that way.

Conklin had two shutouts in his first 12 games with the Penguins. He had two shutouts in 76 career NHLgames before this season.

He will turn 32 in March and started more than 18 NHLgames in a season only once — in 2003-04 with Edmonton (38 starts).

Conklin has appeared in one Stanley Cup playoff game in his career, allowing a goal in five minutes of mop-up duty.

In all likelihood, this is not a guy you can count on to make a run at the Stanley Cup.

Such hopes still rest on the shoulders of Fleury, who will return to action next month.

Penguin hopes for long-term success rest with Fleury as well.

Conklin has been a fun story, but his magic may be wearing out. He did allow two goals on three shots to Washington during that shootout loss Monday night.

Conklin had been lights out in shootouts before that.

As Conklin's star eventually fades, hopefully, Fleury's will brighten. He's already surpassed the efforts of another goalie who was once a first-round draft pick of the Pens.

Gordie Laxton appeared in all of 17 games with the big club, posting a 4-9 record with a 5.55 goals-against average.

Ouch.

Such is life in trying to find a long-term answer between the pipes in the NHL.