By Annie Ross
Ilya Samsonov, the Capitals’ highly touted first-round pick in the 2015 NHL draft and presumptive goalie of the future, finally got his chance in the NHL this season.
Not only has Samsonov had a successful first season, it has been a historic one.
Recently, he rolled off 11 consecutive decisions with a win, which went back to Nov. 15 and was snapped Feb. 2 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. That streak is tied for second-longest for rookie goalies all time.
Additionally, he is 10-0-0 on the road, and he became the fourth goalie in NHL history to win 16 of his first 20 games.
This season, his stats are sparkling: he has a 16-3-1 record, a 2.21 goals-against average, and a .923 save percentage in 21 games (18 starts). That isn’t just good among rookies (he leads all rookie goaltenders in wins), it also ranks among the top of all goaltenders in the NHL. His GAA ranks third among all goalies, and his SV% ranks ninth.
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