Samsonov allowed two goals on 21 shots after replacing Braden Holtby in the Capitals’ loss to the Avalanche. Samsonov has won both of his starts this season while stopping 49 of 51 shots (.961 SV%) so he is starting to threaten Holtby’s workload. Despite a red-hot start to his NHL career, he draws a rough home matchup vs. the fourth highest-scoring team in the league (4.00 GF/gm).
Saturday will be the second start of the season for the former 2015 first-round pick. Samsonov impressed in his first start, stopping 25 of the 26 shots he faced on route to a 2-1 victory over the Islanders. He is a talented young goaltender, but he draws a difficult matchup tonight against a Dallas team that excels on home ice.
Samsonov was a first-round pick (No.22 overall) in 2015 and is one of hockey’s top goaltending prospects. With Braden Holtby heading into the final year of his contract, the Capitals will want to get a look at exactly what they have in Samsonov. He had a 20-16-1 with a 2.70 GAA and .898 SV% in 37 games with the Hershey Bears (AHL) last year.
Samsonov was a first-round pick (No.22 overall) in 2015 and is one of hockey’s top goaltending prospects. With Braden Holtby heading into the final year of his contract, the Capitals will want to get a look at exactly what they have in Samsonov. He had a 20-16-1 with a 2.70 GAA and .898 SV% in 37 games with the Hershey Bears (AHL) last year.
Samsonov came up to serve as Pheonix Copley’s backup while Braden Holtby (upper-body) was sidelined. Holtby said he was good-to-go after Sunday’s practice, so Samsonov’s return to the AHL suggests that Holtby is in fact good to at least serve as tonight’s backup, if not start.
With Braden Holtby out with an upper-body injury, 2015 first-round pick Ilya Samsonov has been called-up to backup Pheonix Copley on Friday. The 21-year-old has gone 3-5-0 with a 3.73 gAA and .875 SV% in eight AHL games this season.
