Frederik Andersen survives Shea Weber blast, wins Game 3 (Video)
Nashville Predators defenseman Shea Weber waited for the puck at the left point. His stick was raised in the air. He was ready to unload a virtual cannon at the Anaheim Ducks’ goal.
Goalie Frederik Andersen followed the puck and moved over to the top right corner of his crease. He knew what was coming. So did everyone else that saw Weber win the last two NHL All-Star Game skills competition hardest shot contests, with a top velocity of 108.5 miles per hour.
Weber’s blade connected. Andersen’s life may or may not have flashed before his eyes. The puck rocketed in … and right off his goalie mask.
Ouch.
Andersen went down for a moment, but quickly got back to his skates. He was fine. Well, actually, better than fine: He made 27 saves in the game, including 13 in the third period, as the Ducks won a game they had to win, 3-0, to cut their series deficit to 2-1.
Andersen, who had backed up John Gibson in the first two games, barely blinked after taking that missile of a shot on his mask about eight minutes into the second period. “I was happy I wasn’t Freddie, that’s for sure,” said winger Chris Stewart, who set up the Ducks’ first goal, by Jamie McGinn, at 10 minutes 5 seconds of the first period.
Or, as Boudreau said, “Ouch. Those things hurt.”
Andersen, who made 27 saves to earn his second career playoff shutout, said he didn’t even get a scar or a bruise to show for his save. “I think it bounced off the top of my head instead of square on the forehead,” said Andersen, who paused only to fix the buckle on the mask before getting back into action.
For the Ducks, that was the vibe for the game: calm and businesslike, without the lapses in discipline that we saw from them on home ice. Andersen helped set that tone with his performance; and, in the process, got them back into a series that could have slipped away with a third-straight loss.
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Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at [email protected] or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.
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