Juuse Saros Showed Up In a Big Way When Predators Needed Him Most

It may seem hyperbolic to assert the sole reason the Nashville Predators won Game 2 of their Stanley Cup Playoff series in Vancouver on Tuesday was because of goaltender Juuse Saros, who made just 17 saves on 18 shots, but a look beyond the box score supports such a statement.

Despite the 4-1 result, the Canucks dominated Game 2 in nearly every facet — scoring chances for (39 to 20), high-danger chances for (16-10), shots (18 to 16), hits (47-30) and faceoffs won (29 to 21). And yet, Vancouver had a lone Nikita Zadorov goal to show for its efforts.

Saros’ expected goals against in Tuesday’s matchup was 3.34, but he allowed just one. He finished with 2.16 goals saved above expected, and he saved all six high-danger shots against, all six rebound shots against and all 11 shots from the slot, per Natural Stat Trick.

“He did his thing,” defenseman Ryan McDonagh said. “It’s just incredible the way he prepares and stays focused in there and never quits on a play and just seems to track that puck so well. Obviously, you never want to rely on your goalie that much, but at the end of the day, he’s one of your best players and he wants to win more than anyone.”

[READ: Adversity Prepped Predators For Second Go-Around With Canucks]

For nearly every one of Vancouver’s best scoring chances, there’s a corresponding video of Saros standing on his head to keep the high-octane Canucks offense off the board.

Like his first-period pad save on Pius Suter, who had an open net to shoot at as he fell to the ice.