Photo: Bruce Bennett
On Thursday night the Capitals bested the Islanders, which was nice, bringing their season record to 30-7-3 and their point pace to an unseemly (and probably unreachable) 129, but that’s not why I asked you here today.
I want to talk to you about Braden Holtby.
I don’t think we adequately appreciate Washington’s franchise goaltender. Lately, it seems like having number 70 between the pipes just sorta guarantees a win. At least one point.
You’d have to go back to November 10 to find the last time Braden Holtby lost a decision in regulation. That game at Joe Louis Arena found Holtby sporting a measly .963 save percentage in a loss.
Since then it’s been a whole bunch of W’s, two overtime losses, and one no-decision.
Only 4 goaltenders in the last 20 seasons have had undefeated streaks of 20+ games. pic.twitter.com/QWRTXwbgDa
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 8, 2016
As SportsCenter points out, Holtby’s streak rivals Jose Theodore‘s under-appreciated performance in the PDO magic season of 2009-10.
Sportsnet is picking up what Holtby’s throwing down.
#Caps Braden Holtby is making a case for entering the upper-echelon of NHL goalies. pic.twitter.com/jFpL6OYUtA
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) January 8, 2016
In the last twenty-game stretch, Holtby has put up a .938 save percentage (all situations) and a 1.9 goals-against average (which is really a team statistic since goalies don’t control their shot volume, but you get the picture). Those are gaudy numbers on an important streak that will certainly garner Holtby attention come award season, but what does the player himself think of it?
“Streaks or anything like that really make zero difference in the end.”
Zen as %$#&.
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