New Jersey Devils: Top 5 Saves This Season

Number Three

The number three spot is occupied by neither Cory Schneider nor Keith Kinkaid. Your next guess may be Eddie Lack, or perhaps Kevin Appleby, but neither of them made the 3rd-best save. Considering that these are the only players to suit up in net for the Devils this season, who could it possibly be?

Andy Greene on Radim Vrbata, game 16

Cory Schneider makes the initial save on a blast from the point, and the puck goes to his right. Schneider is forced to move all the way to the right to block any shot attempt, and Panthers forward Radim Vrbata picks the puck up in stride and winds around the back of the net. Schneider has no chance of getting across in time but Andy Greene, reading the play all the way, somehow gets across the crease and slides to block a sure-goal from Radim Vrbata.

Andy Greene has shown to be a focused and reliable defender for the Devils season after season. There’s a reason why he’s the one wearing the “C”. He has been rock-solid for the Devils in his long career, and he’s shown that he doesn’t need to make the highlight-reel to have a significant impact on a nightly basis.

Still, it has to feel nice to make a play like this. What makes this stop even more marvelous is that Andy Greene had the presence of mind to slide, thus taking away the bottom of the net, instead of diving, which would have allowed an unelevated shot into the net.