The three pillars for Pittsburgh were on the attack. Defenseman Kris Letang skated into the Tampa Bay zone with speed and pushed it ahead to Evgeni Malkin. Using his 6’3″, 195-pound frame, he battled with equally strong Victor Hedman who cut him off from getting to the net. Malkin was able to dish a pass across the slot to Sidney Crosby, who hadn’t scored since April 21st, for a grade-A scoring chance on his backhand from the left face-off circle.
21-year old Andrei Vasilevskiy read the play beautifully, cutting off Crosby’s backhand spinner that was headed for twine with his glove right at the goal line. It was one of the Tyumen native’s 38 saves on the night coming half-way through the game with the contest tied at 2-2 at the time.
Although it was in a losing cause, arguably, Vasilevskiy’s play was the biggest key in Tampa Bay getting back into the contest in the first place. After Matt Cullen and Phil Kessel scored two markers early for the Penguins, the Lightning seemed to be reeling. Outshot 13-5 through 15 minutes, Vasilevskiy made key saves in the run after the goal, including stops on Eric Fehr and Trevor Daley to keep the lead from growing any larger.
“He’s the reason we even got to overtime.”
-Jon Cooper, Tampa Bay Lightning Head Coach (TBTIMES)
The situation was even more disadvantageous when the Syracuse Crunch graduate had to come in cold in a tie contest to begin the series that decided who would play for the Stanley Cup representing the Eastern Conference. Starter Ben Bishop was stretchered off, and Vasilevskiy wasn’t charting face-offs in a ball-cap anymore.
26 saves later, he was celebrating with his teammates in a series-opening win, one in which he played a huge role in achieving.
“That’s my dream right there. Bishop, it’s a huge loss for us, but I will do everything while I can.”
-Andrei Vasilevskiy
The bigger the situation, Vasilevskiy has not looked like a 21-year old net minder with just 34 regular season starts of NHL experience. He came into last year’s Stanley Cup Final twice, once in relief and another as the starter and made 17 saves in a 2-1 loss to the Blackhawks in the latter scenario when Bishop was rested.
He was not taken 19th overall in the NHL Entry Draft for the way his last name is spelled, as his success and confidence built from it goes back. In 36 games playing for Ufa Salavat Yulayev, he posted a .924 save percentage and 2.22 goals against average netting four shutouts and 18 wins. In the 2014 Gagarin Cup Playoffs, Vasilevskiy shined on the big stage as a 19-year old, posting a .934 save percentage and 1.99 goals against average in a run that saw him carry the team to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they lost in five games.
This stint while Bishop recovers could prove as a preview of things to come in the near future, as next summer rolls around, they both will become free agents, Bishop unrestricted, and Vasilevskiy restricted. The former will be 30 when his contract is up, and the latter 22. Does General Manager Steve Yzerman trade Bishop, a Vezina candidate in the prime of his career coming off of his best season, to open the door for the backstop of the future in Vasilevskiy, due to be paid substantially higher than the current $1.475 million against the cap? That scenario would only come to light if Bishop gives consent, given the no-movement clause in the 2-year, $11.9 million contract he signed in 2014. It is an interesting decision to make, and Yzerman will have to make a few this summer and next.
But right now, the team is seven wins from a Stanley Cup, an achievement that was nearly realized last season. It is assumed by Cooper Bishop will eventually return, but until then, it’s Vasilevskiy’s net in a pivotal time in the series being a best-of-five.
He’s got his injured comrade’s confidence.
“I know that he can go in there and do the job.”
-Ben Bishop
Inside, Vaslievskiy most likely does as well.
Quotes courtesy of Tampa Bay Times
Stats courtesy of Hockey DB, NHL.com, Eliteprospects
Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly
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