"Ryan Miller has only himself to blame. When you win the Vezina Trophy and become the darling of the Olympics, it tends to raise expectations. Once you've been called the best goalie in the world, people expect the world from you. Every night.

It's an impossible standard to maintain. Goaltending is a maddening occupation. You walk a razor's edge, always a soft goal or two from suspicion.

"It is a funny position," Miller said Tuesday. "You strive for perfection and you're never going to be perfect. It's about letting go at the right times and picking yourself up. You make a mistake, move on and stop the next one."

No one is calling Miller the best in the world now. His numbers are more reminiscent of his early NHL campaigns than his transcendent 2009-10.

Miller, who went 41-18-8 a year ago, takes a 10-8-3 record into tonight's game. He has a 2.41 goals-against and .917 save percentage. Last year, he had a 2.22 GAA and a .929 SP. In Miller's defense, he was slowed by injuries early and has improved steadily as the year moved on.

Earlier this month, he had consecutive shutouts and a career scoreless streak of 161 minutes, 35 seconds. But it ended with a soft goal in an overtime loss to the Bruins last week. Miller gave up two softies in a 5-2 home loss to the streaking Penguins here Saturday.

"I've got a lot of work to do, I think," Miller said. "I expect to always evolve as a player. I feel like I'm not quite in the same comfort zone as I was last year. But it's been a process. I've had a couple of interruptions in my season already. It's been annoying more than anything.

"I'm closer," he said when asked if he's 100 percent. "I want to be in a little better shape. I want to just get my heart rate a little better. I want to feel like I can hold plays, hold stance a little longer.""