Caps keeping faith in Holtby

Goalie ‘fine’ despite queries about his play

Hin Toronto ad pucks hit Braden Holtby as flush in Game 4 as teammate Marcus Johansson did at the morning skate seven hours earlier, maybe there wouldn’t be all these, “What’s wrong with the Washington Capitals’ goaltender?” questions going around.

To recap: a hush fell over the Air Canada Centre around noon Wednesday when Johansson collided with Holtby, sending the defending Vezina Trophy winner to the ice with a thud. Fortunately Holtby was back on his feet within seconds, later laughing it off as just a “hockey play.”

Of course, after watching yet another shaky performance by Holtby in Washington’s 5-4 victory over the Maple Leafs later that day, suspicious cynics would suggest he was still feeling the effects of being plowed into by Johansson.

Whatever the reason, Holtby was juggling and bobbling shots as if live hand grenades were being fired at him, even those that were coming from long range.

The obvious explanation was a combination of “bounces” and “deflections,” two words that both Holtby and coach Barry Trotz were quick to use after the game. But even such grounded logic hasn’t stopped the secondguessing of Holtby in this series, which is knotted at 2-2 heading into Game 5 Friday at the Verizon Center.

To that end, the Washington Post reported the Caps considered pulling Holtby in favour of Philipp Grubauer to start the third period with the visitors nursing a 4-2 lead. But because the Leafs were going to step onto the ice out of the intermission with a two-man advantage for 114 seconds, it might have been too much to ask to put Grubauer in that situation.

While the Caps had an actual day off Thursday, Holtby was out on the ice, stretching, testing his flexibility and working out the kinks. Say what you want about his spotty play of late, this is one focused competitor who still has his eyes on the prize.

And if the Capitals are going to win the Stanley Cup, it will be with Holtby between the pipes, not Grubauer. Case closed.

Admittedly, his 3.01 goals-against average and .907 save percentage are un-Holtby like. But now is the time to build up his confidence, not to crush it even more.

Asked by reporters Wednesday about Holtby’s inconsistency, Trotz replied: “It’s hard to gauge it because they’ve had a lot of strange stuff. During the year, goalies, they do everything on predictability and there are a lot of things that aren’t very predictable right now and that’s what at times makes Braden look like he’s not there. But it’s bouncing off four different guys, so he’s moving to the puck.

“He’s playing fine.”