Craig Anderson makes ridiculous blocker saves, somehow blamed for loss (Video)
Ottawa Senators goalie Craig Anderson made his first start since March 10, and just his third appearance since Jan. 21, on Saturday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs. It was a start he had to make, with sensation Andrew “Hamburglar” Hammond unable to go due to a “lower body injury.”
As usual, Anderson did some things that boggle the mind, like on this sequence above. Guess that blocker hand is feeling better …
But Anderson also did something Hammond hasn’t done much of during his time as the starter: He lost a game, and gave up four goals in the process. Eric Brewer’s overtime goal for the Leafs gave them the 4-3 win; the Senators dropped a point behind the Boston Bruins, who defeated the New York Rangers earlier in the day.
A check of social media found some Senators fans less than enthused with Anderson, who stopped 27 of 31 shots for a .871 save percentage. (Three of the goals came at even strength.)
It continued a rather putrid run for Anderson, who has given up three or more goals in his last six appearances.
But can you really blame the guy for this one?
The Sens had a 3-1 lead as of 9:30 of the third period. They allowed a Tyler Bozak power play goal and another goal by Bozak at 18:36 of the third to complete his hat trick (!).
The Leafs out-possessed all game, skating to a 55.56 percent team Corsi at even strength and an insanely good 61.90 percent Fenwick-for in the third period as Ottawa ceded possession after going up 3-1.
Said Anderson, via the Ottawa Sun:
"They got the one to 2-1 and they got some momentum. Anything can happen. They start playing with more confidence. The energy starts coming and they are snapping it around. Before you know it, we're fishing the puck out of our net. We had the opportunity and we let it slip.”
Anderson, meanwhile, stopped 21 shots in the first two periods and a Joakim Lindstrom penalty shot in the first.
The bottom line is that the Senators couldn’t close the deal against a team completely playing out the string, getting unjustifiably sloppy in their own end in front of Anderson.
If you think this is on Anderson, think again; and then consider the fact that the guy getting hamburgers tossed on the ice in his honor has given up three or more goals in three of his last four starts.
