via the Caps
This shouldn’t come as a big surprise but Caps goalie Vitek Vanecek was named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month. Though he lost last night, in January he went 5-0-2 with a 2.78 goals-against average and .918 save percentage.
Washington’s second round (39th overall) draft pick in 2014 became the 11th goaltender in NHL history to start his career with a point streak of at least seven games. Vanecek, 25, got his long-awaited chance to play regularly following the absences of Ilya Samsonov and Henrik Lundqvist. He is the first Capitals goaltender to be named Rookie of the Month since fellow Czech Michal Neuvirth in October 2010.
To put in perspective how long it’s been for Vanecek, here back in 2015, he was named the ECHL’s rookie of the week. Here’s how he reacted to that news:
In honor of Vitek earning the NHL's Rookie of the Month, here's a throwback to when I told him in 2016 he was ECHL Goalie of the Week. He told me last year when I brought this up he had no idea what I was saying. But that trademark smile has been there since the start! 😁 pic.twitter.com/6qUQYGCrtj
— Zack Fisch (@zackfisch) February 2, 2021
Vitek Vanecek in January
| Date | Opponent |
SA |
SV |
GA |
MIN |
Result |
| Jan. 15 | at Buffalo |
31 |
30 |
1 |
60:00 |
2-1 W |
| Jan. 19 | at Pittsburgh |
30 |
25 |
5 |
61:11 |
5-4 OT L |
| Jan. 22 | BUFFALO |
27 |
24 |
3 |
64:57 |
4-3 SO W |
| Jan. 24 | BUFFALO |
48 |
45 |
3 |
65:00 |
4-3 SO L |
| Jan. 26 | NY ISLANDERS |
34 |
32 |
2 |
60:00 |
3-2 W |
| Jan. 28 | NY ISLANDERS |
30 |
27 |
3 |
60:00 |
6-3 W |
| Jan. 30 | BOSTON |
43 |
40 |
3 |
60:28 |
4-3 OT W |
| Totals |
243 |
223 |
20 |
431:36 |
5-0-2 |
