Devin Cooley’s name is suddenly sitting in some pretty good company.
The Calgary Flames goaltender was announced Monday as the NHL’s second star of the week after helping push Calgary to a three-game winning streak. Cooley won both starts he made over the past week, finishing with a .971 save percentage while turning aside 66 of 68 shots.
His best work came against the Minnesota Wild in a 2-1 Flames win. Cooley was sharp all night, stopping 38 of 39 shots for a .974 save percentage and a 2.46 Goals Saved Above Expected (GSAx). He followed that up with another strong outing in a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings, where he stopped 28 of 29 shots for a .966 save percentage and 1.66 GSAx.
That made it three straight games in which Cooley has essentially carried the load for Calgary. Last Sunday, he back stopped the Flames to a 3-2 victory over the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Carolina Hurricanes. In that game, he stopped 34 of 36 shots for a .944 save percentage and a 1.79 GSAx.
It’s been quite a turnaround after a rough opening stretch to his season. Cooley gave up 10 goals on his first 55 shots, but he’s since pulled his numbers up to a .913 save percentage and 2.80 goals against average. Among goaltenders with at least five games played, that save percentage ranks 11th in the NHL.
Looking across the last two seasons, Cooley’s numbers also hold up against a strong group. Only five netminders with 30 or more games played have posted a better save percentage than his: Scott Wedgewood, Jesper Wallstedt, Igor Shesterkin, and Joel Hofer. For a rebuilding Flames team, that’s the kind of company that stands out fast.
The week’s top three stars were all from Canadian teams. Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl earned first star honors after scoring six goals and nine points in three games. Montréal Canadiens goaltender Jacob Fowler took third star after putting up a .964 save percentage in two games.
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