"My recipe is to stay focused": Vasilevsky broke the NHL record for goalkeepers for the number of victories in a calendar year

After a not very successful start in the regular season of the National Hockey League, Andrei Vasilevsky has gained excellent shape and continues to help Tampa Bay pave the way to the third championship in a row.

The Lightning have won seven wins and one defeat in their last eight games.

The team of John Cooper scored the next points in the home confrontation with Ottawa.

By itself, the match sign would hardly have attracted increased attention if the Senators had not defeated Tampa last weekend, thus interrupting a five-game winning streak.

True, in that meeting, the Lightntng goal was defended by the Canadian goalkeeper Brian Elliott.

On the reporting evening, he was replaced by Vasilevsky.

However, the match still turned out to be extremely difficult.

The starting period was left for the guests, who opened the scoring in the 16th minute - Tom Shabo scored.

The Canadian beat Ryan McDonagh and ran away one on one with the goalkeeper, sending the puck just under the crossbar.

Vasilevsky in this episode could not help out the team.

The hosts turned the tide of the meeting in the second period, managing to carry out two scoring attacks.

First, Alex Killorn restored the balance on the scoreboard, and 12 minutes later the goal was reached by a shot of the Lightning defender Victor Hedman.

The Swede has implemented the majority.

In the third period, Ottawa tried to recoup, but all attempts of the opponent were confidently suppressed by Vasilevsky.

The Russian goalkeeper in this match reflected 25 shots on his goal and once again inscribed his name in the history of the NHL.

The goalkeeper won 63rd victory in 2021.

Previously, no goalkeeper in the entire history of the league managed to win so many matches in a calendar year.

The previous record was held by Marc-André Fleury, who in 2009 recorded 62 meetings with Pittsburgh.

At the same time, the Canadian needed to play ten more matches for his achievement.

In recent meetings, the Russian works wonders.

So, in the home confrontation with Los Angeles (3: 2 OT), he made 28 saves, and in overtime he stopped the solo exit of the captain and top scorer of the Kings Angers Kopitar, after which Tampa scored the winning goal.

After the meeting, Lightning head coach John Cooper admired the actions of the Russian, who in that episode stretched out in a split, blocking the puck's path.

“Everyone who watches this moment will not be able to explain how Vasilevsky managed to make this save at all.

But you need to understand that this is the outstanding athletic data of our goalkeeper.

And every day he works on it in training.

Constantly stretching, exercising over flexibility.

And it brings results.

Of course, growth helps here - it's good when you are 190 cm. But it is also the ability to quickly move from barbell to barbell.

Vasilevsky's mobility and sophistication are incredible.

Not many guys could make such a save.

But Vasya is one of them, "the NHL official website quotes the mentor.

Vasilevsky himself, who has changed since the beginning of the season, notes that he has not changed anything in his game, and also highly appreciates the actions of the defenders, which make his life much easier. 

“Everything that has worked for me in the past can continue to work. Why change something? I try to stay focused at any moment on the ice, even if it's training. That's all. This is my recipe. When a team suffers such losses [and such hockey players cannot play] as Braden Point and Nikita Kucherov, the system helps, first of all. For example, even when we have several new faces in the minority, everyone knows how to act on the ice and works for the good of the team. And the second thing that gives confidence is other leaders taking on extra burdens. I think we have the strongest selection of defenders. It makes my life as a goalkeeper easier, ”Vasilevsky said. 

Interestingly, the current owner of the most valuable player in the playoffs by the end of the year can bring the number of his victories to 69. Ahead of the Lightning are home games with Montreal and Rangers, as well as away games with Colorado, Vegas, Arizona, Florida. 

Vasilevsky's successful play allowed Tampa to come out on top in the NHL standings.

The team now has 42 points and is ahead of Toronto in terms of additional indicators.