The goaltender made 38 saves on 40 shots and looked like the goaltender of the last season in more ways than one.
The goaltender made 38 saves on 40 shots and looked like the goaltender of the last season in more ways than one.
BOSTON — Ilya Samsonov needed a game like this.
The Russian goaltender admitted earlier in the week that although he isn't superstitious he wanted to change things up to get out of a rut.
For the second consecutive game, Samsonov changed his goaltending mask, going with the one he wore last season. An all-blue mask with a big white Maple Leafs on the skull and white printing around the chin.
Whatever works, right?
Playing against the best team in the NHL, Samsonov had his best performance of the season after making 38 saves on 40 shots in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Thursday.
"I thought he was great. It’s too bad he has to face a shootout there to end it like that," Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said of his goalie's performance."But I thought he was really strong tonight. He should feel really good about his game."
The Leafs found themselves down 2-0 in the second period and the game could have broken open for the Bruins had Samsonov been sharp when needed. Thirty-one seconds before Mitch Marner cut Boston's lead to 2-1, Samsonov made a big blocker stop on a big scoring chance for Bruins forward Pavel Zacha.
"I just want to try a game change," Samsonov explained of the sabe. "Sometimes a goalie needs an extra-good save for a team that is pushing more."
Samsonov had to be sharp late in the third period making a big glove save on David Pasternak.
"You need to get some really good eyes to see the puck all the time," Samsonov said. :This guy is really smart and we see on the first goal. How smart and fast (he is)."
Tied 2-2 in overtime, the Leafs had to defend on a 4-3 power play after William Nylander was assessed a holding penalty.
Samsonov helped kill it off with a nice glove save on Brad Marchand.
It wasn't a win, but the game was huge for the goaltender, whose confidence seemed visibly shaken when we spoke to him before and after his 3-2 overtime loss to the Nashville Predators on Saturday.
Marner and Auston Matthews did their part in tying the game up, but the Leafs wouldn't leave Beantown with a point in the standings had it not been for his performance.
Perhaps the road trip took a toll on the goaltender. He'll spend Friday at home with his son Miroslav and his wife Maria.
But it's also on Keefe for going back to Samsonov when he could have easily rode Joseph Woll, who has performed well this season.
"We have two good goalies that we believe in so when they’re out there doing their thing it gives us all the confidence," Maple Leaf defenseman Morgan Rielly said.
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