The Montreal Canadiens’ goalies have been taking a lot of the heat for their sub-par play in the absence of reigning MVP Carey Price. However, with the best team in the NHL across the ice Wednesday night, backup Mike Condon suddenly started to look like the goalie he’s had to replace.
Condon may have made one of the best, if not one of the least conventional saves of the season. With the Habs already up to a 4-1 lead over the league-leading Washington Capitals in the second period, Caps forward Mike Richards had a golden opportunity. Having just made a save, Condon was the victim of an unlucky bounce as the puck ricocheted right to Richards.
The Caps forward seemed to have the whole top of the net to shoot and and Condon was leaning the wrong way. The Habs goalie lunged out with his leg to cover the bottom of the net, while twisting himself the other direction to get an arm in front of the net in utter desperation. Take a look:
Somehow, Condon stopped the puck with the wrong side of his blocker, leaving Richards stunned and the Habs still comfortably in the lead.
You need to see it on loop, right? Here’s the GIF:
Condon absolutely robs Richards #CapsHabs pic.twitter.com/l5IIe8G0yg
— CAPITALS HILL (@CapitalsHill) February 25, 2016
There is absolutely some luck involved in making a save like that, but a goalie has to do whatever he can to make himself big in the net. Condon was just trying to get the coverage in the hopes the puck hit him and sure enough it did.
That was one of 24 saves Condon made through the first two periods against one of the top scoring teams in the NHL and the best of his young NHL career.
