The year that Stauber won he had a couple of things going for him:
 
1)  It was an Olympic year, so several of the players who would have gotten strong consideration (Kevin Miller, Lane McDonald, etc.) were on the Olympic team.
 
2)  Robb had an amazing game early in the year against Wisconsin.  In the second period of that game, Minnesota must have given up about 10 odd-man rushes, including two or three 2-0 and one 3-0.  Robb only let one goal in and made as many amazing saves as I have ever seen in one period.  This got him some early publicity (at least locally).
 
3)  This was one of the few years Woog went exclusively with one goalie.
 
4)  Late in the year he got more recognition for a long scoreless streak.  Others may know more precisely, but think he recorded something like 12 consecutive scoreless periods during the end of the regular season and the first round of the playoffs.
 
I certainly wouldn't argue with someone who claims that other goalies have had better years and not won.  Robb got a combination of enough bad defense to allow him to make some highlight reel saves, enough good defense so his statistics were sufficiently gaudy, and a lack of outstanding candidates at other positions.
 
                                        -Wayne Hickenbottom
 
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