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Least saves in a win?

TheStranger

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Jan 21, 2010
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Ottawa, Ontario
Varlamov was given the win last night with 4 saves on 5 shots, pulled after the second period. I don't remember ever seeing anything like that with such a low amount of saves.

I'm guessing somewhere in history there's a goalie that came in due to injury late in a tied game and maybe even won with no saves, but I'm wondering if anyone has this information?
 
According to hockey-reference.com, since the 1987-88 season (the first year where they have game-by-game logs), there have been 43 goalies who won a game while making 5 or fewer saves. There were three more who did so in the playoffs.

On three occasions, a goalie won a game without making any saves. Twice it was Craig Billington - how's that for a trivia question!

1. Craig Billington - December 31st, 1996 - played 12 seconds and faced no shots. He was in relief of Patrick Roy (who stopped 21 of 22 shots). Chicago's Chris Chelios took a penalty at 10:06 of the second period, giving Colorado a powerplay. Chicago's James Smith took a penalty at 11:23, giving Colorado a shortened two-man advantage. The Avalanche replaced Roy and put Billington in net (presumably to give their top powerplay unit a breather). Twelve seconds later, Sandis Ozolinsh scored on the powerplay (11:35). This was Colorado`s second goal in a 4-1 win, so Billington "won" the game thanks to his invaluable 12 seconds of contribution.

2. Craig Billington - December 31st, 1998 - this time he played 1:52, again in relief of Roy, who stopped 27 of 29 shots in a 4-2 victory. Similar circumstances. Anaheim`s Johan Davidsson took a penalty at 15:54 of the second period, giving Colorado a powerplay, then Kevin Haller took a penalty at 17:18, giving Colorado an abbreviated two-man advantage. Billington replaced Roy (again, presumably to give Sakic and others a rest). Hejduk scores the team`s third goal (in a 4-2 win) 1:52 later. (Note that the Hockey Summary Project says that Billington played 2:18, but I think the time on Hockey-Reference is more reasonable since it perfectly coincides with a logical analysis of game events. Regardless, it also gives him credit for stopping zero shots).

3. Richard Bachman - March 29th, 2013 - played 2:32 in relief of Kari Lehtonen (who stopped 30 of 33 shots in a 5-3 win). This is a fairly recent game, but I don`t remember it. The circumstances appear to be similar - two Minnesota players (Ryan Syter and Mikko Koivu) both took penalties at 2:00 of the third period, giving Dallas a two-man advantage. Just ten seconds later, Jamie Benn scores (giving the Stars their 4th goal in a 5-3 win). Bachman was obviously in net when this happened. Since he played 2:32, my guess is he was put in net at 2:00 (start of the two-man advantage) and was kept on the ice after the Stars scored at 2:10. He was then replaced by Lehtonon at 4:32 (2:32 after he entered the game) when the Stars` Aaron Rome took a penalty thus creating a stoppage in play.

Ray Emery is the only goalie (dating back to 1988) with more than three "wins" in a game where he made five or fewer saves (on all four occasions playing less than half the game, and making 15 saves and 17 shots across those four wins)! That`s four of his (currently) 145 career victories.

For all the criticism that Martin Brodeur gets, he was only on the list once (playing 26:38 and stopping all five shots against Atlanta). When the Leafs were infamously shut down by the Devils in the playoffs (game 6 in 2000 second round), he faced six shots (and stopped all of them), so he doesn`t appear on this list for that match.
 
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3. Richard Bachman - March 29th, 2013 - played 2:32 in relief of Kari Lehtonen (who stopped 30 of 33 shots in a 5-3 win). This is a fairly recent game, but I don`t remember it. The circumstances appear to be similar - two Minnesota players (Ryan Syter and Mikko Koivu) both took penalties at 2:00 of the third period, giving Dallas a two-man advantage. Just ten seconds later, Jamie Benn scores (giving the Stars their 4th goal in a 5-3 win). Bachman was obviously in net when this happened. Since he played 2:32, my guess is he was put in net at 2:00 (start of the two-man advantage) and was kept on the ice after the Stars scored at 2:10. He was then replaced by Lehtonon at 4:32 (2:32 after he entered the game) when the Stars` Aaron Rome took a penalty thus creating a stoppage in play.

Went back on gamecenter to watch this.

3rd period started 2-2. Dallas scored about a minute and a half into third to make it 3-2. Lehtonen was in goal for this.

At the 2 minute mark, Koivu too a hooking penalty. Suter also earned a crosschecking minor. It appears that Lehtonen had an equipment issue (left the ice to go into the hallway with the equipment manager, looking at a skate or leg pad it appeared) and he was taken out for Bachman.

10 seconds into the advantage the Stars scored to go up 4-2. Interesting tidbit is that this was Jagr's 1000th assist. Play continued from that goal (at 2:10) in one solid stretch until the 4:32 mark when Rome took the penalty. At that time Lehtonen came back in as obviously the equipment issue was resolved. Later in the game the Wild scored a goal which meant the 4th goal was the winner.

Bachman made no saves, but did have to play the puck during a dump in or two.
 
Going back to 1978-79, I can confirm HO's three above.

Steve Weeks looks to have had one on March 24, 1982, in a 7-2 win where he only played seventeen seconds. I'm not 100% sure on this one, so would love it if anyone has more details.
 
Bryz got the win in game 7 last year for the Wild against the Avalanche after facing and stopping 1 shot in relief.
 
Brodeur had 6 saves in a shutout of Toronto in the 2000 playoffs. He played the whole game.
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wow this wins the thread. a proud moment in leafs history.

playing a minute and winning a game is a statistical anomaly, of little to no real significance. playing a WHOLE game and having to make less than 10 saves...that is something else.
 
Brodeur had 6 saves in a shutout of Toronto in the 2000 playoffs. He played the whole game.
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Looks like Sergei Berezin racked up a big three shots on that game, responsible for half of his team's entire offensive output! He must have been feeling pretty good about himself in the locker room after that game. Meanwhile, Curtis Joseph faces 27 shots.
 
When the Islanders beat the Sabres, Halak made 8 saves on 10 shots, no ? He played the whole game for something that's recent.
 

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