Goalie Craig Anderson is making his Washington Capitals debut! Capitals coach Peter Laviolette has seen enough, pulling rookie goalie Vitek Vanecek in favor of 39-year old Anderson.
The switch was prompted by Vanecek allowing four goals on 14 shots Sunday against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Alex Ovechkin has put on a show through two periods. The Capitals captain has two goals and two assists. Yet, Washington is tied with the Flyers 4-4 going into the second intermission.
Vanecek has had an extended view as the starter with last season’s rookie sensation Ilya Samsonov remaining on the NHL COVID-19 absence list since Jan. 20. Since allowing just one goal in his NHL debut, Vanecek has now three or more goals in eight of his last nine starts. The 25-year old has an .833 save percentage following Sunday’s dreadful performance.
Vanecek’s struggles have opened the door for the veteran Anderson. Anderson signed a professional tryout agreement with the Capitals in December following Henrik Lundqvist’s decision to opt out of the 2021 season due to a heart condition.
Anderson signed a one-year deal in following training camp and placed on the taxi squad. He was recalled on Jan. 21 with Samsonov going into coronavirus protocols.
Anderson spent 10 seasons with the Ottawa Senators. Last season, he had a 3.25 goals against average in 34 games. He also played for Chicago, Florida and Colorado during his 17-year career.
