If the Washington Capitals have been defined by anything this season, it’s that players across the roster have stepped up during crucial times. The Capitals got another one of those season-defining performances in Game One of their first-round series against the Boston Bruins.
In the first period, Vitek Vanecek left the game due to a lower-body injury, forcing 39-year-old Craig Anderson into action. The Capitals’ third goalie was solid in relief, stopping 21 of 22 shots faced to earn his 24th career playoff win.
Anderson also accomplished a bit of rare history in the process.
According to the NHL’s PR, Anderson became the fourth oldest goaltender to win an NHL playoff game in relief.
Craig Anderson, who turns 40 on Friday, made 21 saves in relief of @Capitals goaltender Vitek Vanecek to earn his first playoff win since Game 6 of the 2017 Conference Finals (w/ OTT). #StanleyCup#NHLStats: https://t.co/Has0BYsxem pic.twitter.com/lMAhBxBmjX
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) May 16, 2021
The oldest goaltender to win a postseason game in relief was Lester Patrick at age 44.
“Craig’s probably a better goalie than my great grandfather who only played goal in that one single game,” Steve Patrick, Lester’s great-grandson, said to me after the game. “He was coaching and the goalie got hurt so he jumped in net. Old-time hockey was the best, man. So stupid and awesome.”
Anderson also became the oldest goaltender in Capitals history to win in the ‘loffs.
Craig Anderson (39 years, 359 days) is the oldest goaltender to earn a #StanleyCup Playoffs win with the @Capitals, eclipsing the previous mark held by Mike Liut (34 years, 110 days) in Game 5 of the 1990 Division Finals.#NHLStats: https://t.co/bNn0T1qWSZ pic.twitter.com/GR5zv4f9J8
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) May 16, 2021
Anderson, who spent most of the season on the Capitals’ taxi squad, only started two games this season. He won both. His most recent game came against the Philadelphia Flyers on May 8. Anderson stopped 28 of 29 shots to earn the 2-1 overtime victory.
“Getting in that game at the end of the regular season there, even though it had been a couple months, I was able to stay a little fresh and start the engine there,” Anderson said after Game One. “It reinforced that you do have to be ready. You’re one shot, one play away from being the guy in net. I’ve been trying to fight through the mental battle of practicing hard and showing up every day for the guys so you’re ready to go.”
👏 Andy appreciation tweet 👏 pic.twitter.com/ieaGeV3y1Z
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) May 16, 2021
“Tough spot to put somebody in, but Andy’s answered the bell really his whole career, but he’s answered it when we’ve needed it,” Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette said. “Truly epitomizes the concept of working hard every day, so that when you get your opportunity you’re ready and that’s exactly what he did.
The Capitals honored Anderson with one of their ninja headbands postgame.
#OnlyPositiveVibes tonight pic.twitter.com/Se2WWXER3J
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) May 16, 2021
It’s unclear who the Capitals will turn to in net for Game Two. Laviolette did not know the severity of Vanecek’s injury postgame and Ilya Samsonov, who was removed from the NHL’s COVID-19 Unavailability List on Saturday, was in quarantine for the last 12 days. Pheonix Copley, an NHL veteran who performed well in Hershey this season, sat on the bench and was the team’s emergency goaltender during the game.
“At the end of the day, we’re here in this moment and this is what we play for and it’s a great opportunity,” Anderson said. “It’s the work we’ve done that allows us to have success now.”
