Braden Holtby has earned a lot of accolades during his playing career, which has been as majestic as his hair. Holtby has been named an All-Star five times, awarded the Vezina Trophy once (2016), and won the Stanley Cup in 2018. And let’s not forget about him tying Martin Brodeur’s single-season wins record.
Wednesday, the Holtbeast earned another honor. The NHL named Braden Holtby’s “The Save” as the best save of the decade.
The 2010s provided saves we will never forget, but there was one that stood out from the rest.
In game two, of the 2018 Stanley Cup Final, @Capitals goalie Braden Holtby made a save that will live FOREVER.
Which save was your favorite? pic.twitter.com/5ZUMQDQ2Vd
— NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) January 16, 2020
Holtby, of course, made the save in Game Two of the Stanley Cup Final. It was largely credited for turning the tide in the series and giving the Capitals their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
The Capitals, down 1-0 in the Stanley Cup Final, were clinging to a 3-2 lead late in Game Two. A weird bounce off a dump-in went right to a hard-charging Cody Eakin. The former Capitals draft pick slid a cross-ice pass to Alex Tuch who fired a one-timer at the yawning net. Holtby reacted and reached across his body, incredibly stopping the puck with the shaft of his stick.
“Everybody on the bench was just like WOW! WHAT?” Jakub Vrana said.
“The bench and all the teammates and everyone that was watching was just in awe of what happened,” added Tom Wilson.
That night, inside the locker room, Lars Eller went even further.
“It shouldn’t be possible,” Lars Eller said. “It would have been hard to go out having them tie the game on a weird bounce off the end boards that comes out of nowhere that you feel like they didn’t deserve and then the guy gets the empty-netter. Holts comes up big.”
The Capitals would hold on to win Game Two and win the next three games to capture the Stanley Cup.
Congratulations, Braden!
Photo: @NHLonNBCSports
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