Malcolm Subban hadn't even realized he made the save.
"I honestly didn't even know what happened," Subban said after his Sabres' 3-2 overtime loss to the Penguins night at PPG Paints Arena. "I thought someone hit my glove or something. I didn't know it was the puck. I had no idea."
Intentional or not, Subban's save on Evan Rodrigues is an early candidate for save of the year.
Subban, 27, was acquired by the Sabres on Dec. 2 in a trade with the Blackhawks, where Subban had been playing for the AHL's Rockford IceHogs. He made his Sabres debut two days later, leaving the game with an injury after allowing six goals on 25 shots to the Hurricanes. Friday's game in Pittsburgh was Subban's first game back from injury. He was tested often, making 45 saves on 48 shots.
One of those 45 saves stood far above the rest.
JOE SARGENT / GETTY
Malcolm Subban makes a save on Evan Rodrigues in the first period of Friday's game at PPG Paints Arena.
Subban's highlight-reel save happened late in the first period when the Penguins were on the power play. Subban made the initial stop on Jeff Carter's tip, then Rodrigues picked up the rebound.
Rodrigues' shot made it under Subban's blocker, but he reached behind himself with his glove hand and blocked the puck as it was just above the goal line:
What was his arm doing back there, then?
"I think it's a bad habit," Subban said with a laugh. "But it turned out to be a good thing."
There was a lengthy video review afterward, during which Mike Sullivan recalled hearing Evan Rodrigues talking to himself on the bench about how he thought it was a good goal. Officials determined there was no conclusive evidence to show that the puck had completely crossed the line, letting the on-ice no-goal call stand.
"I don't know how he made the save," Sullivan said. "I mean, we all thought it was in the net."
Rodrigues, who had opened the scoring earlier in the first period, had to settle for just one goal against his former team in the win.
"You obviously want to see that one go in," Rodrigues said. "But sometimes the goalie just makes a good save."
