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Braden Holtby will play against Nashville Predators, gets consecutive starts after bye week

By Donya Abramo

 1 Comment

January 29, 2020 12:42 pm

After a strong game in net against the Montreal Canadiens on Monday, Capitals head coach Todd Reirden confirmed to the media on Tuesday that Braden Holtby would be the starter for their game against the Nashville Predators. Ilya Samsonov had won five of the Capitals’ eight games before the bye week.

“Braden’s going to play again tomorrow,” Reirden said to the media on Tuesday, when asked whether Holtby would start against the Predators. “Liked his game a lot [Monday]. Think he’s definitely earned that opportunity after the last game. Want to get him right back in there. It was a response game for him after the break, and that’s as good as maybe we’ve seen him in the third [period] this year.”

Video

Reirden’s comments on Holtby begin at 2:48

Holtby made 31 saves during the Capitals’ 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens, with 15 of those saves coming in the third period alone. He ended the game with a .939 SV%, significantly above his average of .899 through 34 games played in the 2019-20 season.

One of Holtby’s best stops in the third period was a miracle save off the goal line on a Joel Armia shot that ultimately had to be reviewed. Holtby ripped the puck out of mid-air after it clanged off the post. The Holtbeast continued to keep the Capitals in the game through the end of the period.

“Maybe a couple of other games where he’s really made a huge impact, and that was one of them,” Reirden added. “So I want to build on that third period and get him playing the way that we all know that he can.”

Holtby struggled between the pipes heading into the All-Star break, giving up three or more goals in seven consecutive starts. Backup goaltender Ilya Samsonov came in relief of Holtby against the New York Islanders to backstop the Capitals to their eventual 6-4 victory. But the team’s support for Holtby as their starter has been unwavering, with captain Alex Ovechkin giving Holtby the Capitals hard hat after the game, and Samsonov reaffirming that Holtby is their number one.

“It’s hard to talk about it,” Samsonov said in an interview with sport24.ru’s Daria Tuboltseva. “I have a good relationship with Holtby and we have a lot of respect for each other. I think it is very difficult for him now because of this situation with the contract. We all try to support him. He is our number one.”

Those sentiments were backed up by Tom Wilson and Jakub Vrana after the Canadiens game on Monday.

“He swallowed everything up tonight. There was some shots that feels like only he could ever see,” Wilson said. “Played well. He was our rock. It’s good to have him in fine form and we’re not going to lose too many games like that.”

“He was great today. He make some huge saves,” Vrana added. “He shut it down back there. I still think we had some windows there in the defensive zone. We can clear it out coming into the next game.”

Holtby also offered some thoughts on his performance on Monday, and how he felt coming out the other side of the All-Star break.

“I think it’s good to get a break,” Holtby said. “I feel like I had more energy and could do things a little easier, so I think it’s good for us all. It’s one of those games you’ve got to battle through, and everyone, as a team, I think it’s just one big performance as a collective unit in order to win that game.”

Samsonov, who remains on a hot streak as the Capitals backup, will get the nod against Ottawa on Friday.

“I plan on Samsonov playing against Ottawa,” Reirden said. “That’s the plan right now, and we’ll go from there. There’s lots of games and it’s important that both guys are fresh going into the postseason.”

Full RMNB Coverage of Caps vs Predators

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong

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