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Watch: Lightning Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy Makes Bananas Behind-the-Back Save

Literally unbelievable. 

Dan Gartland

Watch: Lightning Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy Makes Bananas Behind-the-Back Save
Watch: Lightning Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy Makes Bananas Behind-the-Back Save /

Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy made easily one of the most impressive saves of this NHL season in Saturday’s win over the Kings. 

With Tampa Bay down a man in the first period, Vasilevskiy was screened by Dustin Brown as Anze Kopitar skated toward the net. The goalie crouched to peer through Brown’s legs, at which point he noticed Kopitar in prime scoring position and desperately threw his glove hand behind his back as Kopitar fired the puck at the gaping net. 

The video above has a few great angles but here’s a GIF so you can watch it on a loop. 

“To be honest, I didn’t see anything. I just saw the blade of Kopitar’s stick,” Vasilevskiy explained after the game. “I realized I didn’t have enough time to be square to the puck so I made the decision to turn the other way and I got lucky.”

As Toronto Marlies PA announcer Simon Bennett points out, Drew MacIntyre made an eerily similar save in 2013. 

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Dan Gartland
DAN GARTLAND

Dan Gartland is the writer and editor of Sports Illustrated’s flagship daily newsletter, SI:AM, covering everything an educated sports fan needs to know. He joined the SI staff in 2014, having previously been published on Deadspin and Slate. Gartland, a graduate of Fordham University, is a former Sports Jeopardy! champion (Season 1, Episode 5).

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