WINNIPEG — The narrative of the “Big Save” can often be rooted in mythology more than fact during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
After Alexandar Georgiev allowed seven goals on 23 shots in Game 1 of this opening-round series, the Avalanche needed its goaltender to start making some, even if it was just one key stop per game.
Georgiev has delivered.
Not only did he only allow a total of five goals across the next three games, he came up a huge stop at critical times in each of them and the Avs have taken control of this series against the Winnipeg Jets in part because of it.
“You know it’s in him. You just have a belief in him,” Avs defenseman Jack Johnson said. “If you’re an athlete, you wouldn’t be at this level if you couldn’t reset yourself. If you’ve never seen it in someone, that’s different, but we’ve seen it with him and we’ve seen it a lot. We had total belief in him.”
Colorado’s players and coach Jared Bednar put on a united front in support of Georgiev after Game 1. Whether or not Justus Annunen would have gotten a chance, either in relief during a 7-6 loss or to start Game 2 had he been healthy, is a what-if lost to history now.
Georgiev slammed the door in Game 2 with a huge save on Nikolaj Ehlers when he was all alone late in the third period with Colorado leading 4-2. That was likely a big one for his confidence, and for the team to see him erase a breakdown.
His “Big Save” in Games 3 and 4 were even bigger, given the context of the contests. Georgiev stoned Tyler Toffoli on a breakaway in the second period when the Jets led 2-1 in Game 3. If Toffoli scores there, it’s possible that the third-period avalanche of goals never happens and Winnipeg takes control of the series. Instead, the Avs roared back for a 6-2 win.
Then late in the first period in Game 4, Georgiev again made a massive save, this time on Vladislav Namestnikov to keep it a 1-1 score when the Jets were flying and controlling play the best they had in several games.
Georgiev said no, and the Avs responded with a dominant second period en route to a 3-1 series lead.
“Yeah, just trying to play a full 60 (minutes) no matter when the shots are coming. Trying to be there and play the game right and whatever is needed,” Georgiev said after Game 4. “It just happened that they got a couple of good pushes at the end of the first and managed to make some good saves.”
There were certainly calls from outside the organization to use a different goaltender after Game 1. When Annunen wasn’t available, the idea of starting a guy who hadn’t played an NHL game since January (Ivan Prosvetov) seemed less palatable, but another wobbly performance might have forced Bednar’s hand.
Georgiev did give up a goal on the third shot of Game 2, but he’s been rock solid. He stopped 74 of the next 78 he faced en route to three straight victories.
He had earned the opportunity to reset and rebound, according to his coach. And Georgiev delivered.
“I think that’s the trust that the players build with you as individuals and as a group,” Bednar said. “When you challenge them with something that needs to improve and they respond, they earn trust.
“I mean, he led the NHL in wins, so it wasn’t like we were trying to make enormous changes. We just needed to get him back to where it was multiple times during the season, and he did that. He put in the work to do that, he changed his mindset and so it looks good on him.”
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