Yaroslav Askarov stole a goal Thursday in Ottawa, launching himself across the crease to glove a Drake Batherson one-timer during a Senators power play at Canadian Tire Centre.
The San Jose Sharks goaltender had already shifted left to respect Tim Stutzle at the right circle when the puck moved back through the slot. Batherson appeared to have the far side waiting for him, but Askarov recovered with a full-extension dive to his right and caught the shot cleanly.
Quick facts
- Yaroslav Askarov made the highlight-reel glove stop for the Sharks in Ottawa.
- The save came while the Senators were on the man advantage.
- Jake Sanderson started the sequence from the point before finding Tim Stutzle.
- Stutzle passed across to Drake Batherson, whose shot was taken away by Askarov’s diving glove.
- Askarov also denied Shane Pinto on a breakaway earlier in the game.
Sanderson controlled the puck high in the zone and sent it cross-ice to Stutzle. Askarov squared to Stutzle’s shooting lane, then had to reverse course when the Senators forward elected to feed Batherson instead.
Batherson’s release was quick and elevated, but Askarov, who catches with his right hand, reached it in midair despite bodies screening parts of the crease. The glove save turned a near-certain Ottawa goal into a whistle and a moment for the Sharks netminder to remain down briefly after the sprawling stop.
It was not Askarov’s first sharp denial of the night. Earlier, he used his pads to stop Pinto after the Senators forward broke in alone.
