Dad strength is a common phrase heard around the sports world. In the past, players have put together standout performances right after either becoming a dad for the first time or adding to their family. That appears to be the case for Vancouver Canucks goaltender Nikita Tolopilo, who has put together two strong performances since the birth of his daughter. 

After picking up a 23-save victory in the AHL on Wednesday, Tolopilo helped snag the Canucks two points on Saturday against the Minnesota Wild. The 25-year-old stopped 28 of the 30 shots he faced, which included a first-period breakaway on Kirill Kaprizov. Post-game on Saturday, Tolopilo spoke about his hectic week, which included flying home early from the road trip last Monday to be with his wife as she went into labour. 

"It's been fun and same time, tough week," said Tolopilo. "But yeah, I'm so happy to have my daughter now, and I'm so proud of my wife. She did a great job. She let me get some rest before the game so I can sleep at the hotel. So she takes care of the other, and I really appreciate it, because I know how hard it is to be alone right now for her."

Tolopilo's performance on Saturday was once of the best of his NHL career. He stopped 13 of the 14 shots he faced in the third and arguably stole a victory for Vancouver. When asked if his new daughter was a good-luck charm, Tolopilo smiled and expressed how happy he is at the moment.

"Now I have more to play for. It's great. It's huge. I feel so thankful."

Tolopilo is the perfect example of hard work paying off. After going undrafted, he has worked his way up the depth chart and has now become a reliable option at the NHL level. If Tolopilo keeps playing at this level, the Canucks are going to have a tough decision to make in the near future. 

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