Members of the Ottawa Senators were quick to defend Craig Anderson following his blunder (see above) in Tuesday’s 3-2 shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, and it’s easy to see why.
It’s not just about his personal struggles, either. When Anderson’s managed to play, he’s been flat-out phenomenal, generating a .927 save percentage that ranks near a Vezina-type level (if he managed to play more than 35 games).
Goaltending has been a huge reason why Ottawa has at least a shot of winning the Atlantic or at least grabbing a round of home-ice advantage, so unlike certain instances where teams shield a goalie’s failures, the defenses are absolutely justified.
More Boucher on Anderson: 'For all the saves he’s made this year, and all the times he’s made us win a game, he gave us a point tonight.'
— Chuck Gormley (@CharlesAGormley) March 29, 2017
Anderson, on the other hand, was very hard on himself.
Senators goalie Craig Anderson said tonight's loss can be blamed on his turnover that led to Jordan Weal's tying goal pic.twitter.com/R0JiwJ3yn1
— Adam Kimelman (@NHLAdamK) March 29, 2017
You have to admire Anderson for taking the blame, even if in very much “hockey player” fashion, he’s not exactly demanding the same sort of credit for his great work this season.