The playoff chase intensifies this time of year, and solid goaltending can be the difference-maker as contenders push for postseason berths. As the All-Star break approaches, several NHL goalies have been on top of their game for an extended period. All finished strong in 2007 and are off to great starts in 2008.

With Miikka Kiprusoff in net, the Calgary Flames have moved atop the Northwest Division with a 10-1-2 surge over the last four weeks. Kiprusoff claimed all 10 of those wins, the most victories among his peers in this span.

Kiprusoff doesn’t rank among the league’s best in goals-against average and save percentage during this four-week stretch, but he didn’t need to: his Flames are generating plenty of scoring. They have averaged four goals a game in a five-game winning streak that will be on the line Tuesday night against Phoenix.

The Vancouver Canucks are just a point behind the Flames in the Northwest race, and much of the credit goes to netminder Roberto Luongo. Over the last four weeks, he has posted the best save percentage among goalies, and he ranks second to Chris Osgood in GAA.

Let’s take a look at some of the better performers in net since Dec. 10, 2007, ranked by their save percentage.

Goalie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W-L-OTL. . . . . GAA. . . . . . . . .SvPct. . . . .Sup/60 Min
Roberto Luongo, Van. . . . . 6-2-0. . . . . . . 1.49. . . . . . . . .948. . . . . . . . . 2.61
Chris Osgood, Det. . . . . . . 6-1-0. . . . . . . 1.43. . . . . . . . .947. . . . . . . . . 3.58
Ty Conklin, Pit. . . . . . . . . . 7-0-0. . . . . . . 2.00. . . . . . . .939. . . . . . . . . .3.19
Ilya Bryzgalov, Pho. . . . . . . 6-3-1. . . . . . . 2.14. . . . . . . . .934. . . . . . . . . .2.63
Martin Brodeur, NJ. . . . . . .7-3-0. . . . . . . 1.99. . . . . . . . .932. . . . . . . . . 2.09
Miikka Kiprusoff, Clg. . . . . 10-1-2. . . . . . . 2.78. . . . . . . . .905. . . . . . . . . .3.63

Luongo is 6-2-0, aiding the Canucks to six wins in eight games, even though the offense has provided just 2.61 goals per 60 minutes with their No. 1 guy between the pipes. Thirty-five goalies have received more offensive support than Luongo in this span.

In the last four weeks, New Jersey’s Martin Brodeur has received even less support on the scoreboard. Fifty-one goalies have received more on average, as the Devils have barely averaged two goals for every 60 minutes Brodeur has been in net. For the season, only the Islanders and Blues have scored fewer goals than the Devils, who lead the Atlantic Division with the Penguins and Rangers in hot pursuit.

Coyotes goalie Ilya Bryzgalov also has excelled despite a recent lack of support. He’s posted an impressive .934 save percentage against the likes of the Sharks, Rangers, Canucks, Red Wings, Avalanche and Ducks since Dec. 10, en route to a 6-3-1 record. On Saturday, he stopped 29 of 31 shots in a 3-2 shootout victory over the defending Stanley Cup champions. Bryzgalov didn’t allow a goal in three shootout attempts.

There’s a surprise among the group. Ty Conklin has been hot as Pittsburgh’s primary goalie with starter Marc-Andre Fleury sidelined. In the four weeks Fleury has been out with a high ankle sprain, Conklin has gone 7-0-0. He has shut out Buffalo and Florida in his last four starts, a stretch during which Conklin has allowed just three goals and a 0.74 GAA. He chases his eighth straight win on the road against the Panthers Tuesday.

Maybe less surprising is the recent performance of Detroit goaltender Chris Osgood. The Red Wings are 17-2-1 in their last 20 games, and Osgood is 9-1-0 in this stretch. He has a .959 save percentage in his last four starts -- all wins. Osgood’s Red Wings lead the NHL in wins (32), points (67), goals (151) and fewest goals allowed (90).