NHL Plays Of The Week: How Did He Stop THAT!? | Steve's Hat-Picks

[@joaquinspandex7870]

Subban's save was mad, athletic desperation. Incredible.

[@lucasgillen1562]

Ya he did the vasilevsky

[@CessBee123]

I think Subban meant to do that, but I bet he didn't think it would work. Incredible instincts.

[@joeidaho5938]

Ya, it looks pretty clear that he did it intentionally. And yes, the fact that it worked probably blew him away also.

[@TheNighthawke502]

It was pretty clear to me too that he intentionally swept back both of his arms to make the save, as if to use his glove to prevent the puck from crossing the crease behind him while his blocker tried to stop it first. Either way it was one of those very rare moments in hockey history! Lol.

[@konbadge731]

He was interviewed at the end of the game and he said he didn’t mean to save it

[@joeidaho5938]

@@konbadge731 His arms clearly betray that...lol. He actually twists his upper body to save it with the left arm.

[@konbadge731]

@@joeidaho5938 look up his response to it smh

[@matthewb3113]

I absolutely believe Subban reached with his back hand. Amazing!

[@CLP921]

I was biting my fist after that save. Dear god that was beautiful to see live. Oof 😅.

[@Crimsonfangg]

Yeah i was questioning it at first, but thinking about it, neither him or other goalies normally just drop the stick and reach back like that.

[@batchnumber77]

In Kappy’s goal the announcers ponder that he cannot have acquired those skills playing baseball. Well Finnish national sport is actually called Pesäpallo (copied from baseball) that is much more relevant skill in this case (because the pitch is vertical) and Kappy has surely played that in his youth.

[@zakvitale1411]

Yep, they mentioned it later in the game (the announcers did) because of Olli Maata’s dad being a professional in the sport, so the announcer remembered it and told the color commentator.

[@tob564]

At 1:50 the commentator says "There's no way they play baseball in his country!" That's a dang-it! Pesäpallo, which translates to "baseball", is literally the national sport of Finland. It a game like baseball with slightly different rules: for example, the bases are arranged differently and the pitcher pitches the ball vertically next to the batter rather than horizontally in front of them. Also by the way, there's is a very frequently used technique in pesäpallo called "näpy" where the batter shortens the bat just before hitting to ball to lightly poke a very short shot in order to buy just enough time for someone to run from one base to another. That's exactly what Kapanen did there!

[@markopuranen5910]

"no way they play baseball in his country"... the national sport of Finland is literally FINNISH BASEBALL.

[@MrWaalkman]

Do they play it on ice?

[@markopuranen5910]

@@MrWaalkman In the sauna mostly.

[@MrWaalkman]

@@markopuranen5910 Touché. :)

[@2buxaslice]

If somebody says to you that Subban couldn't have done that on purpose, simply show them Dominik Hasek's entire career.

[@doaftheloaf]

well, subban isn't hasek, but yes, there may well have been intent. i remember a similar save by jose theodore vs boston in 2002. there was definitely intent there, and chances are subban meant to do this.

[@jake.ruhland]

Yeah, but hasek and subban are very different in many’s different ways

[@Deadman012]

Subban save: You got to be good to be lucky and you got to be lucky to be good.

[@hunterlahti6342]

You missed 2 goalies hat picks this week. 1 Marc Andre Fleury getting his 500th win in the nhl. As well as #2 Cam talbot save against the stars last night

[@rickseiden1]

Subban clearly meant to do that. He didn't lose his stick. He tossed his stick so he could use his blocker to make the save, then intentionally put his glove hand behind his back to stop the puck if it made it past the blocker. Was he lucky that it worked? Sure, but he meant to do it, and it worked, so my hat's off to him.

[@MapleKitsune]

Subban recreating the Vasilevsky was something I never expected to happen

[@Hated_Sien]

The Ovi shot on Fleury was just like the Stanley Cup playoffs.

[@jake.ruhland]

YES

[@DevonMopiedmont1143]

Ovechkin does this "If I don't move maybe they won't see me." thing and it keeps working. What part of don't let the 8 shoot don't people understand. I totally get that even if they do guard him it's no guarantee you'll stop him either but don't let him tee up a slap shot un impeded from the faceoff circle.

[@JacksonPinchot]

If you listened to the commentator he said that you have to respect oshi as a shooter so jacob slavin over committed to try to block a shot from oshi but oshi passed it to the great 8. Plus the hawks were on the pk so they were already down a man.

[@sphenopalatineganglioneuralgia]

@@JacksonPinchot The problem is then you have one guy dedicated to Ovi, standing in one spot, and now you have a 3 on four which is probably worse especially since your team is probably not used to playing without that corner of the penalty kill....

[@markopuranen5910]

@@sphenopalatineganglioneuralgia yeah, one guy following Ovie around might work if the rest of Caps were bad, but they aren't so...

[@stephentraskos3130]

Everyone knows where Ovi is going to be, yet... why does he score? Until the last 3 years teams had first to respect the puck handling of Nicklas Backstrom on the other side of the ice because he would slowly encourage the breakdown of the PK defense and challenge their discipline by playing keep away with the other 3 PP skaters. When the breakdown occurs, Backstrom to the blueline man, blueline man passes to the office, and your choices are Goal, a nasty welt, or the sound of artillery fire when the puck hits the glass. Only drilled-in discipline, as is a necessity if you play in the Metropolitan Conference, keeps teams playing Ovi honestly. Backstrom and an effective passing game, especially those crisp tape-to-tape passes, lures the PK slowly away from some 6'3", 238lb russian grizzly that has never tired of having meat on the menu. And... if too much deference is shown to Ovi, well there's always 3 other shooters that now have TOO much room for a players of their skill level.

[@doaftheloaf]

most of the truly elite players often found a way to do this. gretzky and lemieux did it all the time. you're like, he was just here a second ago, and now he's over there with no one near him. hidden in plain sight. it's why the puck always seems to find these guys. you'll probably find mcdavid and draisaitl doing this kind of thing a lot too.

[@jamesoaks1120]

Man that subban save is unreal, even if it was luck or instinct or whatever, you still have to give it up to the guy, might be one of if not the greatest saves of the decade that I can think of, and 13:20 had me laughing my ass off, that whole part had me laughing so hard I was crying, Steve's reaction and commentary is always great, keep it up man.

[@joeidaho5938]

That save by Subban was one of the best intuitive saves ever. Incredible arm flexibility to do that also.

[@stephentraskos3130]

I think even Hasek would say "dammmmn"

[@acrillix3159]

Can we talk about Ovechkin's ability to sneak his way into open slots STILL so perfectly? "SOMEHOW wide open!" yeah, he basically perfected slipping into the open areas in ways that leave even the best defenders instinctually fall into "average player' habits thus leaving him WIDE open

[@dylanhope3252]

Players have had 17 years to figure out where he’s going to be, and he somehow still catches them sleeping. It’s absurd.

[@stephentraskos3130]

For years we've called that spot on the ice "Ovi's Office", if you're not familiar Alex Ovechkin is nearly finished with a doctorate degree. I with great joy look forward to the first play-by-play call announcing Ovi has scored from "The Doctor's office"

[@ColdAddict]

Not to down play Subban’s save, but Fleury has pulled that on multiple occasions. Maybe something Subban learned from being behind Fleury for a couple years? Regardless, amazing save.

[@SkinnerOwnsYou]

Were they ever on the same team? Not saying you’re wrong but. I just recall them being switched around a lot

[@ColdAddict]

@@SkinnerOwnsYou ya he was picked up off waivers by VGK in 2017 and was behind Fleury there until they traded him for Lehner to the Blackhawks in 2020 and then the Hawks traded him to the Sabres earlier this month

[@ColdAddict]

@@SkinnerOwnsYou which means he was also behind Fleury on the Hawks I just realized ha

[@stephentraskos3130]

See the crest on Subban's chest? If you're old enough, you'll remember who i'm speaking of. That's who I think any goalie since would have learned that type of goaltending from

[@stevemcevilly6762]

I wish Larkin's first hat trick was included

[@snakeeyes9246]

The first goal of his hat trick will be a dang it.

[@rainbowpickelgaming845]

Don't forget that fleury won 500 games

[@rainbowpickelgaming845]

@@the6ig6adwolf yes that I am surprised that he did not mention it

[@jake.ruhland]

“Superhero’s Groin” -Steve Dangle 2021. I wanna name my kid superhero’s groin ngl

[@paytonsheppard9018]

Dang I was hoping to see the hawks 3 goals in 34 seconds in this vid

[@brucecook502]

I am a life long penguins fan, but as a former goalie, it actually made me excited when I watched that game against the Sabres and seen Suban make that save, incredible.

[@boots_33]

Absolute Larsson-y!

[@David99356]

I was thinking of “grand Larsson-y”.

[@JelzSmellz]

Subban looked like when I drop something and I flail everything in hopes that I can catch it, and kick it up but 9/10 times I just kick it into a wall or break something but that 1, that 1 time is amazing.

[@ARutherford0220]

Merry Christmas everyone!❤️🌲

[@pieshka4509]

3:35 Underrated shooting skill, being able to roof the puck from the blue paint

[@ianrichards7478]

OMG!!!!! how did THAT not go in Subban was awesome!!! just awesome.

[@kingaye372]

People who say the Subban save is lucky. Alot of NHL goalie saves are lucky. When they flash the leather or do a diving save with the net wide open is lucky. But we don't say how lucky it was we say that's amazing. Do the same with this one. Save of the year candidate

[@ChrisTallant]

Subban is a severely underrated goalie. Really great player.

[@doaftheloaf]

he hasn't really been given a chance. he was never trusted in boston, vegas, or chicago. he's probably not going to be a starter, but could be quite a solid backup. maybe he and UPL share the sabres net next year. can't really see them bringing anderson, dell, or tokarski back.

[@bayareasportsfan04]

7:23 I'm a Sharks fan but that was a brilliant defensive save by Larsson. Hats off to him (as well as the Kraken for nearly shutting us out that game)

[@sirdragon9256]

Merry Christmas, Steve(and family) and to all readers who celebrate Christmas. To all others happy holidays or happy whatever you celebrate. All the best, everyone.

[@jake.ruhland]

Dude, Ovi’s shot in slow motion, is mine (peewee) in normal speed… LIKE HOLY SHI- HES INSANE

[@AP-zw6ql]

Subban's arm was back there on purpose. He may have been lucky that it worked, but he still meant to do it.

[@emmettdixon3155]

nah, that's just a pretty natural reaction to making a desperation save like that

[@nolandersun1036]

Love how fun hockey is becoming out with the old in with the new!!

[@leithschroeder7050]

Lucky or not, the forethought to throw your glove hand behind your back in desperation is insane. What an awesome save

[@kalebkennedy327]

Quicks highlights always make me feel a little phantom pain down below....not to mention that man has had at least 4 groin strains

[@kcrowther14]

Merry Christmas Steve 🎅

[@alexanderthompson9070]

Can we get merch with super hero groin on it? 🤣🤣🤣

[@nitemare84]

Blackhawks 3 goals in 36 seconds?

[@keeganbramlet807]

And he still didn’t even mention fleury’s 500th win

[@nitemare84]

@@keeganbramlet807 yeah. I saw someone mention that already, or else I would have.

[@_JeLLo_Xx]

Came here to say this

[@irchrisb]

Merry Christmas dang-it!

[@pauljmorton]

Concerning the goal by Kapanen, we do have a baseball-like sport in Finland that virtually everyone has played at least a bit in school PE classes. It's called pesäpallo, and that type of snub hit is quite typical in that game.

[@matthewb3113]

Thank goodness you are "Still HERE!"

[@trevortomah8508]

Subban, absolutely tending the goal, that's cool stuff. thanks for sharing.

[@lukewilliams5519]

Damn! A bunt single for Kapanen!

[@mikemooney83]

STILL WAITING on some RESPECT for Mark Andre Fleury’s 500th win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@JustinSb4000]

Yo, so Larkin's 1st career hat trick isn't hat pick worthy? Went back to check and they didn't include Lucas Raymond's hat trick/4pt game against Marc Andre Fluery a month ago, nor Moritz Seider's slick ot winner vs the Sabres (his 1st nhl goal I think), or his ot 1 timer Lazer vs the isles 2 weeks ago. Not taking anything away from all that was shown, those saves were sick. But bruh, rookie hattricks vs flower and 1st career goal ot winners should make the cut imo. I guess sportsnet or Steve must just not like the Wings or somethin, oh well

[@mrhappy9999]

So my Vasilevsky action figure isn’t broken after all?!?! I laughed hard at that one, Steve.

[@charringtone]

if you’re a national hockey league player, DONT LET ALEXANDER OVECHKIN STAND OPEN AT THE FACE OFF DOT ON THE POWER PLAY

[@Sufinsil]

Ovie has scored the most against MAF. 24 as of Jan 2020. Lundqvist 2nd at 24. Didn't see an updated list anywhere. Has scored against over 150 different goalies.

[@alexanderking7543]

I can't believe I was at the game for the Subban save!

[@Z-Mikes00]

im a pens fan and for that buffalo save. i wouldve given it a standing ovation

[@rearct]

I love Larsson shoveling it under his own goalie- "I can't cover it- BUT YOU CAN"

[@randomentertainment4102]

6:37: I agree with you Steve. As a Bruins fan, that's what I was saying the whole time: "Goddamnit cover Ovie!"

[@PalaCannito]

I laughed at the First Base joke; well played, Steve.

[@heikkiremes5661]

There is version of baseball in Finland called Pesäpallo. Instead of throwing the ball, the pitcher lobs the ball upwards near the hitter.

[@poejavelski148]

That Subban save is in my opinion the new best save of all time. Finally since 2005 when Sebastian Caron made that amazing save, there is a new better one (imo).

[@doaftheloaf]

that's a bit much. vasy himself has CAUGHT two behind his back. jose theodore made a similar save to subban's in the 02 playoffs. that caron save is legendary. dominik hasek exists. this smacks of recency bias.

[@poejavelski148]

@@doaftheloaf It has nothing to do with recency bias. Before this save I thought Carons and Nabokovs were the two best saves of all time, both happened well over 10 years ago. There’s allowed to be a new best save, just like how Ovechkin might pass Gretzky and there would be a new greatest goal scorer. Also, it’s my opinion, I can think whatever I want.

[@doaftheloaf]

@@poejavelski148 I disagree but fair enough.

[@poejavelski148]

@@doaftheloaf Ya that’s fine, people will have different opinions.

[@xrumich]

12:27 i played 15 years of goalie, and have some pretty nutty saves i have done that before and some nasty leg saves, im not saying its easy but its possible. but its still an amazing save

[@vvebvvaster]

Didn't enjoy at all seeing our McDonagh and Vasi getting burned (that's a dang-it), but props to our play-by-play and commentary team at 3:38 for giving Chabot credit where it's due. Nice goal.

[@OscarzProductions]

Fleury's 500th win or Hawks 3 goals in

[@nathanvertes123]

he also missed larkins first career hat trick

[@jimaugustine7718]

On that Chabot goal, I half expected the announcer to say, "TAHT is a Hat Pick!"

[@jimstoyles7617]

Hi I'm amazed at how that can be done! I Vote for Cuban as #1 for that picks!!I hope you do see it to.Thank you

[@icedo1013]

I can see the NHL App headline now: "Absolute Larsson-y!"

[@pjlopes955]

During the break you should do hat picks/dang it’s of the season so far

[@reetombera9288]

I went ahead and took a screen cap of Vasilevsky, cropped him specifically and put him over Jean Claude Van Damme in the Volvo commercial...

[@MrZephyrMan23]

As a Penguins fan, I should be angry about Subban’s save, but I’m exactly the opposite because it was just that mesmerizing. I would watch it happen again in real time if I could

[@potieee]

Hi Steve. if you’re searching for paddle-saves take a look on Dubeau and his beauty (DEL, Krefeld vs Nürnberg Dec 30th) I know isn’t the NHL, but I think you will like it anyway 🤙🏼

[@Tdrr8989]

Idk why you didn't have the two back to back saves from the Vegas Golden Knights-New York Rangers overtime 😒. I am glad Subban had one of the best saves ever! Go Sub

[@danielhoughton7917]

You missed on the Ovechkin goal that also put Fleury as the goalie with the most goals scored on him by Ovechkin. He was previously tied with Lindquist.

[@tishbacks1299]

Can u please do a holiday 'top ten' hatpicks?? Pretty please.(and dang its too 😁)

[@brettparker8722]

Jonathan Quick and Andre V. have super hero groin... Malcolm Subban...no ligaments in his left shoulder!

[@TheJohtaja]

7:32 No one? Ok. That was pure Larsony.

[@cameron8001]

You're going to have to put Chabot's hat trick of dang its vs the Flyers on Thursday

[@SupersonicFox]

All I can think about is having a Vasy figurine by McFarland in that pose.

[@RedrgnX]

I can see a top hat picks of the season show coming next week!!

[@blaze87b]

:(

[@CrispyCrawfish1346]

Dang, was hoping to see Jack Drury on here. Two games and two goals!

[@redfox1111999]

That is up there in the best saves of all time

[@philcozzo6352]

I really thought there was going to be a grand "Larssony" joke there since Adam Larsson stole that goal away.

[@eliezerbulka4811]

Totally thought the same. Man, how did they miss that??

[@munaclassic4020]

Subban with the save of the year

[@DeathOMalley]

If ya liked that goal on Tampa's McDonagh, check out what 750k a year Nicolas Roy did to Hedman and co.

[@daria_morgandorffer5768]

Subban save was amazing and I’m a Penguins fan…

[@jimaugustine7718]

Steve: "Who likes Alex Ovechkin Milestones?" Me: NOT ME!!!!!!

[@markkumakinen1897]

Yes and yes, just take it as it is, it is a save and propably never happends again. Just enjoy it. I did. It is a kind of small hockey miracle.

[@paolabelan8211]

For all the “Subban was just lucky”: Luck is present in any unbelievable save, but this is talent and hard work! He knows that he will only be able to pull this out if: a) (of course) the hockey gods are with him at the time, and b) his brain commands his body to contort in a certain angle without letting his head and upper body weight pull him back… this is wicked body control. I was surprised and then I remembered “oh yeah, he IS a goalie in the NHL…” (so he actually has to be really good, u know?)

[@Marrero1]

I love how almost any goal on the big cat is a hat pick lol.

[@aileen694]

STEV - ENN! I laffed so loud at this video...and still, no security knock on my door. ( Seniors' Building) All this talk about super-groins, yikes! The Christmas Turkey wishbone...Those "flexible" goalies MUST study ballet at sometime in their lives. The Splits is a common accomplishment there. But amazing Split-Second moves by these boys. Keep posting, Steven. We Need you, Darlin'.

[@LargeBasstafarian]

Vassy made a similar save against (ironically) Kopitar a few years ago.. only he caught it.

[@maryhalebian344]

We love Quickie and his superhero groin

[@tristonb2420]

What's your best feature of your body? "My groin" most goalies probably

[@livelifeTOrcr1p]

We are not leaving WE ARE NOT FACKING LEAVING!

[@Ilvion]

Boball is a thing in Finland. Maybe Kapanen got it from there :)

[@TheGreatFatMan2007]

Gritty staring at me like that is going to be my new sleep paralysis demon

[@tomaskovarik7014]

didn't mention anything about larkin's first career hattrick seven seasons into his career, not to mention what a hot streak he's been on recently

[@boots_33]

That's no superhero, that's just Jonathan Quick.

[@IdioticBunny92]

Whoa two weeks in a row without mentioning Fleury's 500th?? Show Flower some respect Producer Drew! Also that Kraken save was pure... Larsson-y... 😎

[@doaftheloaf]

okay, you're fired.

[@chrisfenn8094]

Three styles of Goaltending, Stand Up, Butterfly, and the Hasek

[@doaftheloaf]

to be fair, vasilevskiy has twice made the glove save behind his back before. once on kopitar, who he also stops in this vid. the subban save also kinda reminds me of that save by jose theodore vs the bruins in 2002. is it lucky? sure. was there intent? possibly. but what matters is the puck didn't go in.

[@DneilB007]

When you said ‘is never boring’ I thought ‘but CG57 hasn’t done anything crazy this week’.

[@1331devils]

That Ovi goal is a Dang-It for the Hawks... How are you going to leave that man THAT open at any point?!?!?

[@DaTT78]

I like this Steve guy.

[@lisalockhart5407]

You forgot the save Hellebuyck made with his skate, it should have been here too.