Spencer Martin had been waiting a very long time to play in the NHL again B次元官网网址� nearly five years, in fact.
The 26-year-old goalie finally got his chance Friday when he made his debut for the COVID-stricken Vancouver Canucks and stopped 33 shots in a 2-1 shootout loss to the Florida Panthers.
B次元官网网址淚 just felt incredibly blessed knowing how hard it is to get to this level and how many experiences (it takes) to get opportunities,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淏ut it felt incredible to get an opportunity.B次元官网网址�
Martin was pressed into action after VancouverB次元官网网址檚 star goalie Thatcher Demko was placed in the NHLB次元官网网址檚 COVID-19 protocol on Thursday. Backup netminder Jaroslav Halak was also out after testing positive for the virus last week.
Heading into FridayB次元官网网址檚 contest, Martin had played just three NHL games (0-2-1), all for the Colorado Avalanche in 2017.
The native of Oakville, Ont., has split this season between VancouverB次元官网网址檚 taxi squad and the Abbotsford Canucks of the American Hockey League, where he has a 5-0-2 record with a .921 save percentage and a 2.24 goals-against average.
Martin admitted heB次元官网网址檇 wondered if heB次元官网网址檇 ever start in an NHL game again, but was excited to get the chance on Friday.
B次元官网网址淚 wasnB次元官网网址檛 as amped up as I thought IB次元官网网址檇 be given how much it meant to me to get a game,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淏ut (the rest of the team) really kept it simple from a goalie standpoint so they made it easy for me.B次元官网网址�
After years behind the bench in the AHL, Canucks coach Bruce Boudreau knows what kind of talent exists in the minors.
B次元官网网址淚 love when American League players that have played there for a while get opportunities and show what they can do. Because a lot of times, thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of good players that get overlooked because of their age or for whatever reason and theyB次元官网网址檙e really good players,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淔or Spencer to come in and play a game like that against B次元官网网址� I think theyB次元官网网址檙e the highest-scoring team in the league B次元官网网址� I thought it was really impressive.B次元官网网址�
COVID also left the CanucksB次元官网网址� forward ranks depleted Friday, with Bo Horvat, J.T. Miller and Conor Garland also in protocol.
To earn a point against one of the NHLB次元官网网址檚 top teams under trying circumstances is important for the Canucks, Boudreau said.
B次元官网网址淚 hope it gives them belief that when you play the right way B次元官网网址� and we played the right way tonight B次元官网网址� that you can play with anybody,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 pretty well what the message is. We played a hungry team tonight.B次元官网网址�
Aleksander Barkov scored the shootout winner, skating in with speed and sliding a one-handed backhand shot past Martin from the top of the crease. Anton Lindell also scored for the Panthers (28-8-5) in the shootout.
FloridaB次元官网网址檚 Sam Reinhart forced extra time with a power-play goal early in the third period and Alex Chiasson had the lone tally for Vancouver (18-18-4).
Spencer Knight had 27 saves for the Panthers, who were on the second night of back-to-back games after handing the Edmonton Oilers a 6-0 drubbing on Thursday.
FridayB次元官网网址檚 victory took the entire team, Knight said.
B次元官网网址淲e have to stick together, stick with it,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淣ot scoring can be frustrating and staying with it, and then just waiting for a chance and thatB次元官网网址檚B次元官网网址� the way it is sometimes. WeB次元官网网址檙e not going to score five goals every night. WeB次元官网网址檝e got to find a different ways to win.B次元官网网址�
Vancouver was playing its first game at home since Dec. 14 due to COVID-19 outbreaks around the league and postponements due to capacity restrictions. The crowd at Rogers Arena was limited to 50 per cent by provincial health orders.
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Florida dominated overtime, penning the Canucks in their own end and forcing Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Juho Lahmmikko and Matthew Highmore to stay out on the ice for three minutes and 14 seconds.
The home side held the Panthers off the scoresheet for two periods before coughing up a power-play goal early in the third.
VancouverB次元官网网址檚 Nils Hoglander was called for tripping Brandon Montour just 27 seconds into the period and Florida applied pressure with the man advantage.
Anthony Duclair threw a puck to the front of the net and Reinhart, stationed at the top of the crease, batted in a backhanded shot to make it 1-1 at the 1:41 mark.
B次元官网网址�(ReinhartB次元官网网址檚) such a big part of our team and such an important piece that we can move him around all over and heB次元官网网址檚 been really good on the power play,B次元官网网址� said Panthers interim coach Andrew Brunette.
B次元官网网址淭he power play has been really good of late and that was a huge goal for us because you get in those games where you get the goaltender on the other side that itB次元官网网址檚 his first start and heB次元官网网址檚 feeling it, and weB次元官网网址檙e having trouble really getting anything by him, so it was a huge goal at the right time.B次元官网网址�
Florida was 1 for 2 on the power play and Vancouver went 1 for 4.
The Canucks opened the scoring 16:18 into the game.
With Owen Tippett in the box for slashing, Quinn Hughes launched a rocket from the point. Tanner Pearson tipped the shot and the puck caught Chiasson on this hip before pinging off the cross bar and in.
The goal drew chants of B次元官网网址淏ruce, there it is!B次元官网网址� to the tune of Tag TeamB次元官网网址檚 rap classic B次元官网网址淲hoomp! (There It Is).B次元官网网址� The chants have been a staple at games in Vancouver since Bruce Boudreau was installed as the teamB次元官网网址檚 head coach on Dec. 5.
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One of MartinB次元官网网址檚 biggest stops on Friday came on a Florida power play midway through the first period.
Reinhart rang a shot off the post, sending the puck soaring across the goalmouth to Barkov on the other side of the crease. The centre wound up and unleashed a rocket but Martin slid into position and made the pad stop.
The Canucks will continue their homestand Sunday when they host the St. Louis Blues. The Panthers will face the Kraken in Seattle the same night.
NOTES: The Panthers trounced the Canucks 5-2 on Jan. 11. B次元官网网址� The visitors were without Sam Bennett, who suffered a lower-body injury in FloridaB次元官网网址檚 victory over the Oilers on Thursday. B次元官网网址� MartinB次元官网网址檚 first game for the Canucks came exactly five years after he made his NHL debut with the Avs.
THE CANADIAN PRESS
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