Ilya Samsonov submits his bid for save of the year with consecutive stops

It was an all-Canadian clash at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday night as the Toronto Maple Leafs hosted the Winnipeg Jets for the first half of a home-and-home which will conclude on Saturday in the Manitoba capital.

Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe turned to Ilya Samsonov between the pipes against one of the league's best teams and it was a big test for the Russian netminder.

In the second period, while the Maple Leafs were on the powerplay, Samsonov made his case for save of the year with an incredible effort during a 2-on-0.

Winnipeg Jets forwards Adam Lowry and Morgan Barron were in alone on a shorthanded 2-on-0 when the latter made an attempt to put the puck in the back of the net following a give-and-go. Samsonov, in desperation, reached back across with his right pad to rob Barron of what could've been the game's opening goal.



After the save, many Maple Leafs fans in attendance at Scotiabank Arena stood up to give Samsonov a loud ovation and to show their appreciation for the effort he made.

It's unclear what Samsonov's role may look like in the coming weeks and months once Joseph Woll comes back, so it's going to be interesting to see how Sheldon Keefe utilizes the two as they continue their push to solidify a top-three spot in the Atlantic Division.