Ilya Samsonov came into Wednesday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens with a long shutout streak. He left it with a new franchise record of a different kind.
After backstopping Washington to a 6-3 win, Samsonov became the first goaltender in Capitals history to record at least one point in each of his first eight decisions of a season per NHL PR.
Samsonov’s record this season is 7-0-1.
Ilya Samsonov (7-0-1) became the first goaltender in @Capitals history to record at least one point in each of his first eight decisions of a season.#NHLStats: https://t.co/6QIo3NiqKb https://t.co/esQvyeO8m6
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) November 25, 2021
The keyword in the this distinction is decisions.
Sammy did not take the loss in a November 4 game against the Florida Panthers, where he took himself out of the game before puck drop, returned minutes later, and then was pulled after giving up three goals in 25 minutes. He also earned the Capitals a standings point during an October 23 matchup against the Calgary Flames after Peter Laviolette pulled Vitek Vanecek in his favor. The Capitals overcame a three-goal deficit only to lose in overtime.
Samsonov also had an opportunity to potentially have the longest shutout streak in team history on Wednesday but fell just short after a costly John Carlson turnover in the first period. Sammy’s shutout streak ended at 170:13, the fifth-longest in Capitals history.
Per @JoeBpXp, Ilya Samsonov's shutout streak lasted 170:13. It was the longest in the NHL so far this season.
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) November 25, 2021
Only Jim Carey has kept a puck out of the net longer.
@russianmachine Samsonov’s shutout sequence surpassed 170 minutes making it the 5th longest in Capitals history before Montreal scored at the 18:46 mark in the first period tonight. Here are the only four sequences that have been longer for Washington. pic.twitter.com/FvIBxEVijy
— Marcus Afzali (@ommda84) November 25, 2021
Sammy has played well during this stretch, posting a .920 save percentage and three shutouts. He was named the NHL’s second star last week.
Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB
