Goaltending has been a good chunk of the storyline so far in the 2020-2021 Playoffs, and in case you haven’t heard, Andrei Vasilevskiy is a big game guy.
Vas is currently tied for the second best SV% in the playoffs with .934, and tonight, he catapulted the Lightning to a semifinal berth with a 2-0 Game 5 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Canes were a worthy opponent, but Vasilevskiy held on tight for the shutout tonight to end their season. It’s worth noting just how difficult it is to completely shut down a team that’s playing as desperate as Carolina was. The Canes came out hot tonight and generated more than enough opportunities to score, but Vasilevskiy shut the door and held on for the shutout. This isn’t the first time he’s done this, though, and Vasilevskiy is now the first goalie in NHL history to record shutouts in three consecutive clinching games.
Wow.
A goalie’s ability to come up clutch in pivotal moments is vital to any Stanley Cup win, and with Vasilevskiy firing at his current rate, the Lightning’s chances of repeating seem all the more likely.
