Vasilevskiy master at Game 2 adjustments in Stanley Cup Playoffs
Lightning goalie is 11-3 with .939 save percentage after series openers this postseason
The Lightning goalie is 1-3 with an .884 save percentage in Game 1s this postseason, including allowing four goals on 38 shots in a 4-3 overtime loss in Game 1 against the Colorado Avalanche in the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday.
Vasilevskiy is a combined 11-3 with a .939 save percentage (27 goals on 441 shots) from Game 2 on, including 2-1 with a .929 save percentage in Game 2s against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers and New York Rangers.
The Lightning and Avalanche play Game 2 at Ball Arena on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN+, ABC, CBC, SN, TVAS).
"That's what great goalies do, they can figure out teams too," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "Just like coaches try to figure teams out, goalies do the exact same thing. I think that's why you see an elite, elite goalie get better as the series goes on because he educates himself as much as coaches try to educate a team."
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Vasilevskiy and goalie coach Frantz Jean start the education process with a conversation about what happened in the game, what the goalie saw and tendencies he picked up immediately after Game 1 ends.
The reset comes in practice the next day, or in the case of the Cup Final, two days later because of the extra off day between Games 1 and 2.
"Some teams, they really have a blueprint of how they want to create offense and we have a general game plan for every situation, somewhat of an answer, kind of a black and white thing, so when this happens, this is what we do," Jean said. "So, once we figure out a little bit what the other team looks like live on the ice, we adjust our practices and what we do on the ice to the other team's offensive tendencies. I think that helps the reset for his execution."
As that is happening, the Lightning's skaters are resetting too, because they're as much to blame for Vasilevskiy allowing five goals on 32 shots in Game 1 against Toronto, six goals on 34 shots in Game 1 against New York and the four on 38 in Game 1 against Colorado.
He won Game 1 against Florida, allowing one goal on 34 shots.
"In our Game 1s in this playoffs I would not sit here and say to you we put our best foot forward as a team," Cooper said. "The chances we've given up, the areas we've given them up, it's not ideal. It doesn't matter who you put in the net, NHL players and star NHL players are going to score from those areas. I don't know what our problem has been this playoffs in Game 1. We did pull it out in Florida, but I just think the team hasn't played as well in front of him. In saying that, he's been outstanding once he's got a feel for the team, and it's usually only taken him a game."
Jean credited Vasilevskiy's hockey IQ and his mental toughness for allowing him to adjust so quickly after Game 1.
Cooper said after Game 1 against the Rangers that nobody takes a loss harder than Vasilevskiy, but he uses it as fuel instead of allowing it to fester and impact him negatively in the next game.
"That's what elite players do," Jean said.
It especially helps Vasilevskiy that he's also an elite skater, Jean said, adding that he thinks the goalie is the best in the NHL in moving around the crease, particularly with his leg recoveries and the way he reacts to rebounds.
"That's part of why he's able to adjust to any speed," Jean said. "It becomes more difficult for a goaltender who is not a good skater. Now you have to play way deeper, getting vulnerable on straight shots. But a guy like 'Vasy', who has that really high-end skillset, it's just a question of identify what their strength is and make sure you're on top of your game in those areas."
There are a few explanations for why Vasilevskiy and the Lightning have needed to play a game in each series before making the adjustments.
They've started every series on the road. The Maple Leafs, Rangers and Avalanche pushed them back on their heels. There was the eight-day layoff between sweeping the Panthers and playing Game 1 against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. They faced four of the best offensive teams in the NHL.
All of it makes sense, but once the series is in motion, Vasilevskiy has dialed it in, and the Lightning have become dominant.
If the trend continues, Vasilevskiy will give Tampa Bay a chance to even the best-of-7 series with a win in Game 2.
"His mental strength is out of this world, bouncing back from tough games or losses," Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman said. "The record is not a fluke."
