Rob Simpson: Holtby Will Need to Find His ‘Zen’ After Game 1 Mistakes | NYHN+

TORONTO — This past regular season I did a weekly podcast for a different media organization called “Simmer’s Morning Skate”. I recorded it at the morning skates of NHL games being played at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto over a ten-week period.

This made for casual, insightful chatter with a prominent figure in a ten to 13-minute time span. As opposed to a long-form interview, the format allowed for spontaneity, was great for our attention-deficient culture, and it also allowed for the guest to catch the team bus back to the hotel.

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One of the early visits was with Washington goaltender Braden Holtby. He would be what I refer to as “totally chill.” Kind of a surfer dude in a goaltender’s body. Think “The Big Lebowski” for those old enough to recall the film.

I immediately thought back to the interview we did after I watched the results of Game 1 against the New York Islanders. It was Holtby who ultimately cost them the game. Yes, there are always many factors, but the momentum change and the result were mostly due to Holtby’s play.

I reflected back to us discussing him being zen.

“I’ve always been pretty mellow, that way,” Holtby said. “I think a lot of it comes from the psychology of the sport that I’ve learned and learned from others. You find you have to get to know yourself if you’re going to be successful. That is best for me, to try to get that ultimate calmness in my game.”

So then how do you feel if you screw up and cost your team something?

“I can’t dwell on it. I mean, you feel bad but you have to forget about it, move on and focus.”

That moment has arrived.

After dominating the offensive chances in the 1st period and battling ahead to a 2-0 lead in the 2nd period, everything changed for the Capitals with just 63 seconds remaining in that middle period. Holtby whiffed at Jordan Eberle’s wrist shot from the very high slot and the Islanders were on the board; new life for a New York team just needing a little momentum to match their tenacity.

Fifty-one seconds into the third period Islanders captain Anders Lee evened the score on a rebound, and the tide was officially turned. Next up was the eventual game-winner, shorthanded, from Josh Bailey.

Not exactly a sterling moment for Holtby. He came out to play the puck, played it awkwardly and abruptly into teammate Alex Ovechkin’s feet and turned it over. Brock Nelson quickly fed Bailey alone in the slot and the Islanders were in control. Oops!

So what is Holtby’s mindset now? Is he vulnerable? Can dude shake it off?

Based on past history, it’s hard to say. When he’s hot he’s hot. When he’s not, well, it really hasn’t mattered that much.

Recall during the 2018 pre-Stanley Cup run for Washington,  Holtby pretty much melted down in the second half of the season and lost the starting job to Philipp Grubauer. When Grubauer lost it in the limelight of the first two games of the postseason against Columbus, Holtby stepped back in and took over, obviously his old self once again.

The former Vezina Trophy winner and the second-fastest goalie in NHL history to reach 200 wins, was outstanding the rest of the way.

So is this true adversity for this chill-cat from Saskatchewan? The Islanders will do their best to put the pressure on him. They’ll try to send pucks to the net, as they say, and see what happens. A true test for any goaltender’s psyche, even for the most-righteous-dude.

(Editors Note: Rob Simpson will be providing coverage from inside the Toronto bubble throughout the playoffs for NYI Hockey Now and the Hockey Now network of sites.)