Eakins says Gibson is `at the top of his game'
On the surface, the pure raw statistics with Ducks goaltender John Gibson don’t look good this season — 23 losses in 40 games played, a goals-against average of 4.01 and save percentage of .900.
But there is a different way of looking at it. The workload Gibson has had this season is practically historical.
The Ducks sent out a note during the game against Washington on Thursday, citing the fact that Gibson’s 21st save against the Capitals (making it 1,323 for the season) was the most by any NHL goaltender in his first 40 games of the season since the legendary Jacques Plante had 1,396 for the New York Rangers in 1963-64. Plante was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1978.
“Gibby was lights out. Was at the top of his game,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said via text message Friday.
Gibson has made 40 or more saves in a game 10 times this season, including two games with 50-plus stops. He had 41 saves in the 4-2 win against the Capitals.
If anything, his workload has not slowed in February. He made a club-record 53 saves against Pittsburgh on Feb. 10 and 51 saves at Florida 10 days later, becoming the third goaltender in NHL history with multiple 50-saves games in a single
month, the Ducks said.
The last time it was accomplished was 60 years ago, by the iconic Gump Worsley with the New York Rangers, three times, in January 1963. Al Rollins did it twice in the 1955-56 season (in October) with the Chicago Blackhawks.
These accomplishments by the likes of Plante, Worsley and Rollins were established when it was a completely different game and weren’t approached or matched for decades until this season,
While it is a bit of an indictment of how the team is playing in front of Gibson, it’s also a testament to how well he is playing on a struggling team even though the numbers don’t necessarily illustrate it.
Ice chips
Defenseman John Klingberg, who has missed the past two games with a lower-body injury, will be a game-time decision against Carolina today, Eakins said . ...
Troy Terry will wear the “A” in Adam Henrique’s absence. “He’s earned it,” Eakins said. Henrique, who was injured Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, is week to week with a lower-body injury . ...
Eakins praised the shotblocking ability of Nathan Beaulieu against the Capitals, as well as Simon Benoit and Sam Carrick stepping up in weight class in their fights against Tom Wilson and Dylan McIlrath, respectively. “Benoit and Carrick fighting two very tough individuals really showed the mental toughness and resilience of our team,” Eakins said.