Arturs Silovs Posts 46 Saves in Penguins’ Game 6 Push
arturs silovs has stopped 46 of 50 shots over his last two games after taking over at the beginning of Game 4, a sharp turn for Pittsburgh’s goaltending in the series against Philadelphia. The Penguins needed steadier play after Stuart Skinner opened the postseason in net and lost the first two games.
Silovs Takes Over in Game 4
Dan Muse made the switch after Skinner struggled in Game 3, and Silovs answered with a.920 save percentage over his last two games. He has allowed four goals in that span, with only one coming in the third period.
That run fits the profile Pittsburgh bought last summer. Jim Rutherford said he did not want to lose him when the Penguins acquired him, pointing to Vancouver’s surplus of goaltending and the risk of losing him on waivers. Rutherford also said Silovs liked “playing in the big moments” and that “He can get hot and go on runs.”
Rutherford Saw This Before
Silovs is 25 and from Latvia. He won the AHL championship last season, and two years ago he helped Rick Tocchet’s Canucks push past the Predators and into a Game 7 against Edmonton. That track record is why his current stretch is not just a one-night bounce.
His late-season form, though, made this rebound less predictable. From the beginning of March through the end of the regular season, he posted a save percentage above.900 only three times in 11 starts.
Penguins Face Flyers Game 6
The Penguins still trail the series, and the margin for error is thin. A team has come back from down 3-0 only four times in NHL history, so the value in Silovs’s play is simple: Pittsburgh has found a goalie giving it a chance to extend the series, while Dan Vladar has allowed embarrassing goals in Games 4 and 5 and three goals in Game 5.
Game 6 is Wednesday, and Silovs will carry the same assignment he has handled since Game 4 — keep the Penguins within range long enough for the rest of the roster to turn the series.
