Washington Capitals Playoffs: A golden opportunity for Vitek Vanecek
The Washington Capitals Game 1 win over the Florida Panthers meant a lot of things. For goaltender Vitek Vanecek it meant that the starting net minder job is now his to lose. Especially after the way he kept the Caps in the game despite trailing heading into the third period.
Vanecek backstopped the Caps to 30 saves in the 4-2 win and he’ll look to seize the opportunity tonight to send this series back to D.C. up 2-0.
He didn’t find out he would be the Game 1 starter until Capitals Head Coach Peter Laviolette told him on the team plane down to Sunrise. And he shut down the NHL’s best offensive team when all was said and done. And he didn’t get down when the Panthers had the lead. Instead, he buckled down.
Vanecek talked abut the conversation between goalie and coach:
"“He said that it was a pretty good season for me. And he want me to start. And he want me to be better like [Florida goalie Sergei] Bobrovsky.”"
And on Tuesday night he was just as good as Sergei Bobrovsky if not better. Vanecek was dialed in when the Caps needed him to.
Laviolette added:
"“He was really good. They caught one off the post and then another one, there’s things that we could’ve done better in front of him with regard to that. But I thought he played a solid game.”"
The Caps allowed 25 shots at five on five including just seven high danger chances in 48 minutes of even strength. Much lower than what the Panthers averaged during their President’s Trophy winning season.
But this series is far from over. We’re only just one game in. We know what happened one year ago after the Caps won Game 1 but this team is far different and Vanecek has redeemed himself. You may remember that infamous Game 1 where he hurt himself after allowing a Boston Bruins goal.
Now the net is his and he’ll look to seize this golden opportunity in from of him. And it’s an opportunity that Vitek Vanecek deserves.