Game 3 of the Capitals - Penguins has been chaotic. It’s been wild enough that it’s easy to lose track of how outstanding both Braden Holtby and Marc-Andre Fleury have been.
So far, it sure seems like Holtby’s back to his elite form. He’s currently pitching a shutout through two periods, though he did get some help from a goalie interference call (that was probably accurate).
Fleury has been beaten once on an odd bounce in the first period, but overall, he’s been absolutely fantastic in Game 3. He combined with Patric Hornqvist with what easily ranks as one of the best saves of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
You can watch it in video from above and in the following GIF:
OH MY GOODNESS. #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/7SToVzs7sH
— NBC Sports Hockey (@NBCSportsHockey) May 2, 2017
Fleury and the Penguins experienced an extreme close call there, while the Capitals got lucky at least once themselves:
HOW DOES THAT PUCK NOT END UP IN THE BACK OF THE NET?!? #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/gCqAu1b2DZ
— NBC Sports Hockey (@NBCSportsHockey) May 2, 2017
Some 1-0 games through 40 minutes can come down to tight defense and tepid offense as much as anything else. In this case, the goalies have been a huge reason why it’s been so low-scoring.