It's not easy being a goalie for the New York Islanders.
Christopher Gibson's performance Sunday further proved that point as the 25-year-old turned away 50 Calgary Flames shots en route to a 5-2 victory, snapping the Islanders' eight-game losing skid.
Christopher Gibson is the second rookie goaltender in @NYIslanders history to make 50+ saves in a game, joining Billy Smith on Nov. 22, 1972 at PHI (55). #NHLStats #NYIvsCGY https://t.co/c6DW1bpULE pic.twitter.com/fqgGZCBpgW
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) March 12, 2018
For the Islanders, it marked the sixth time this season that the team has surrendered 50 or more shots in a game.
Three goalies have taken the net for the Islanders this season: Gibson, Jaroslav Halak, and Thomas Greiss, and all three have had their taste of 50-plus pucks fired their way.
| Date | Goalie | Opponent | Shots Faced | Saves | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 15 | Greiss | Canadiens | 56 | 52 | W |
| Jan. 31 | Greiss | Maple Leafs | 50 | 45 | L |
| Feb. 13 | Halak | Blue Jackets | 51 | 47 | L |
| Feb. 15 | Halak | Rangers | 50 | 50 | W |
| Mar. 3 | Gibson | Penguins | 50 | 47 | OTL |
| Mar. 11 | Gibson | Flames | 52 | 50 | W |
It should come as no surprise, then, that the Islanders are averaging a league-high 35.2 shots against per game this season.
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