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Vitek Vanecek News
Vanecek is expected to start Monday vs. the Bruins.

Vanecek allowed three goals on 43 shots in the Capitals' win over the Bruins on Saturday. Vanecek continues to stand tall in the face of a heavy workload, facing an average of 34.7 shots per game so far this season. With Ilya Samsonov still on the COVID-19 reserve list, Vanecek will make another start Monday vs. Boston. He's won three straight games while allowing eight goals on 107 shots (.925 SV%).

Vitek Vanecek
Vanecek starts Saturday vs. the Bruins.

Vanecek gave up three goals on 30 shots in the Capitals win over the Islanders on Thursday. With Ilya Samsonov still out, Vanecek will make his sixth straight start on Saturday. In the previous five starts, Vanecek has gone 3-0-2 while stopping 153 of the 169 shots (.905 SV%) that he's faced. On Saturday, he'll face a Bruins team that is expected to get David Pastrnak back.

Vitek Vanecek
Vanecek is in the starter's crease at the Capitals morning skate.

Vanecek gave up three goals on 30 shots in the Capitals win over the Islanders on Thursday. With Ilya Samsonov still out, Vanecek will make his sixth straight start on Saturday. In the previous five starts, Vanecek has gone 3-0-2 while stopping 153 of the 169 shots (.905 SV%) that he's faced. On Saturday, he'll face a Bruins team that is expected to get David Pastrnak back.

Vitek Vanecek
Vanecek led the Capitals onto the ice for warmups.

Vanecek allowed just two goals on 34 shots in the Capitals' win over the Islanders on Tuesday. It was another solid showing from the young netminder, who is now 3-0-2 with a 2.70 GAA and .918 SV% on the season. With a shorthanded group in front of him, goal support may be difficult to come by but the Islanders have had their own offensive struggles, scoring just 1.83 goals per game (30th).

Vitek Vanecek
Vanecek is expected to start Thursday vs. the Islanders.

Vanecek allowed just two goals on 34 shots in the Capitals' win over the Islanders on Tuesday. It was another solid showing from the young netminder, who is now 3-0-2 with a 2.70 GAA and .918 SV% on the season. With a shorthanded group in front of him, goal support may be difficult to come by but the Islanders have had their own offensive struggles, scoring just 1.83 goals per game (30th).

Vitek Vanecek
Vanecek led the Capitals onto the ice for warmups.

Vanecek allowed three goals on 48 shots in the Capitals' shootout loss to Buffalo on Sunday. With Ilya Samsonov still in COVID-19 protocol, Vanecek is expected to make his fourth straight start on Tuesday. Vanecek has played well so far, going 2.87 GAA and .912 SV% in his first four starts of the season.

Vitek Vanecek
Vanecek is in the starter's crease at the Capitals' morning skate.

Vanecek allowed three goals on 48 shots in the Capitals' shootout loss to Buffalo on Sunday. With Ilya Samsonov still in COVID-19 protocol, Vanecek is expected to make his fourth straight start on Tuesday. Vanecek has played well so far, going 2.87 GAA and .912 SV% in his first four starts of the season.

Vitek Vanecek
Vanecek will start Friday in Buffalo.

Vanecek will make his NHL debut on Friday after going 19-10-1 with a 2.26 GAA and .917 SV% in 31 games with Hershey (AHL) a season ago. The 2014 second-round pick will get quite a bit of work this season after Henrik Lundqvist was forced to sit out for the year. A matchup with a Sabres team that scored four on Ilya Samsonov last night keeps him out of the streaming pool this early in the season.

Vitek Vanecek
Vanecek will be recalled from Hershey (AHL) and may backup on Tuesday.

Vanecek, who is 13-9-1 with a 2.43 GAA and .908 SV% in the AHL this season, may serve as Braden Holtby's backup vs. the Kings. Ilya Samsonov was forced to leave the Capitals morning skate after taking an Alex Ovechkin shot up high and is going through concussion protocol. If he's not 100 percent, Vanecek will be the backup.

Vitek Vanecek
The Capitals have recalled Vitek Vanecek from Hershey (AHL).

This is a salary cap related move. The Capitals need a forward because Nic Dowd and Carl Hagelin are out, so Vanecek comes up and the higher-paid Ilya Samsonov heads to the AHL for the game. The move opened up enough cap space for Travis Boyd to be called up. Samsonov will likely swap spots with Vanecek next week.

Vitek Vanecek