Real Salt Lake top performances: Nick Rimando

Two saves don't sound like much, but considering the circumstances for the saves goalkeeper Nick Rimando made, they meant everything to Real Salt Lake.

Rimando saved two penalty shots in the MLS Cup against the Los Angeles Galaxy as RSL won the title. He was named the Cup MVP for not only that effort, but for the fact that he saved three more penalty shots the week before in the Eastern Conference Finals in RSL's shootout win over the Fire.

"He's been great for us all year down the stretch," said midfielder Will Johnson of Rimando following the win at Chicago. "We knew he'd make saves for us, and it was just a matter of us making penalties, and overall we did a good job."

Those two games alone could have earned Rimando MVP consideration, but the steady play over the course of the season, as well as the playoffs, kept the team in many games and eventually led to the team's first title in its fifth year of existence.

Rimando made 73 saves on 108 shots during the regular season and posted nine shutouts. He started and played in 26 of the team's 30 regular-season games, but missed some time after he suffered a cut on his hand at a game at Colorado. But it was his steady play over the last three seasons that allowed RSL to trade away former first-round draft pick Chris Seitz this week.

Rimando turned 30 this season, but that may be just when a keeper is entering his prime. Real certainly seems to be.

"Everybody says you mature and you get better as you get older as a goalkeeper, and I think that's something that's sinking in the last couple of years," said Rimando. "I'm a little more patient and doing the simple things right, and this year is one of those years the ball seems a little bit bigger."

"He's one of the most solid goalkeepers in the league," said RSL assistant coach Jeff Cassar. "Athletically, he's just as gifted as he was when he was 18. What's going on now is his angle play; his distribution and game management is at another level. I think the team feels very comfortable and very at ease when he's back there."

e-mail: mblack@desnews.com