Juuse Saros just did something no goalie has ever done in Predators history
The Nashville Predators had no business winning their game against the Carolina Hurricanes last night. In fact, according to Money Puck, the Preds had less than a 9 percent chance of winning based on how the game unfolded. With the Hurricanes putting up 67 shots on goal and over six expected goals, the Predators were […]
The Nashville Predators had no business winning their game against the Carolina Hurricanes last night.
In fact, according to Money Puck, the Preds had less than a 9 percent chance of winning based on how the game unfolded. With the Hurricanes putting up 67 shots on goal and over six expected goals, the Predators were absolutely overrun by Carolina's attack, barely able to get the puck over the center red line for much of the 2nd half of the game.
So why did they win by a score of 5 to 3?
Because of Juuse Saros.
Last night, Juuse Saros did something that no Nashville Predators goalie has ever done. Not Pekka Rinne, not Tomas Vokoun, not Chris Mason. Only Juuse Saros.
Saros made 64 saves in the game, passing his own career high of 58 saves (which he set, ironically, in Game 5 against the Carolina Hurricanes back in 2021).
64 saves in one game… absolutely incredible. And if that doesn't sound like a lot, consider this for perspective: it was twenty more saves than Pekka Rinne made during the team's longest ever game (the triple overtime game against the Sharks back in 2016).
Not only did Saros make franchise history, he made NHL history. His 64 saves are the 2nd most for a goalie in a regulation, non-overtime game ever, including regular season and playoffs.
No goalie has made more than 60 saves in a regulation game since the 1970s.
Juuse Saros god-like, but what about everyone else?
Anytime a team needs their goalie to stand on their head to win, there are mixed feelings about the game.
On the one hand, it's atrocious that the Predators gave up 67 shots on goal. The Hurricanes could do whatever they wanted with the puck.
Just consider this one stat: the Hurricanes had 28 shots in the 3rd period alone, but the Predators had 25 shots the entire game.
It was a shooting gallery in Carolina last night.
But, on the other hand, the Predators had an almost god-like goaltender that willed them to victory. Good thing he was playing for Nashville, right? After all, that's why you scout and sign good goalies… to win games.
While you should never design your hockey team to just "hold on for dear life and hope your goalie wins it for you," that has essentially been the Nashville Predators modus operandi for many years.
Overall, last night was a fun event to witness. History was made on the ice, and we all watched an incredible star goalie do something no one has ever done in franchise history.
But if the Nashville Predators want to make something of this season, last night was a step in the wrong direction.
— Featured image via James Guillory/USA TODAY Sports —
