2024/25: Saves of the season

15 April 2025

It was another busy campaign for our goalies and, at times, each of them pulled out some game-winning performances. Along the way, we saw some spectacular saves – and here are 10 of the best.

10) Jeremy Smith vs Severstal (Nov. 8)

Smitty has a flair for the spectacular, but here he combined shot-stopping with an assist. It started with a sprawling save to deny Mikhail Ilyin. Then, quick-thinking, released the puck right away to set Nail Yakupov away on a counter that ended with Martin Lefebvre scoring. That tied the game at 3-3, but unfortunately the Dragons fell to a 3-4 loss.

9) Kyle Keyser vs Severstal (Oct. 11)

We’ll hear more from this game, but as a taster, here’s Kyle protecting his first KHL shut-out late in the game. Roman Abrosimov seemed poised to score when a rebound found him in space on the doorstep. Keyser had other ideas, and our 3-0 lead held until the hooter.

8) Patrik Rybar vs CSKA (Jan. 10)

We claimed Rybar off waivers on deadline day. By the time he made his debut on Jan. 10, Patrik had not played for over a month. But there was no hint of rust in this performance as he backstopped the team to a record-breaking sixth successive win. Along the way, there were several big saves, but perhaps the most significant came in the 15^th minute: after dealing with a point shot, the Slovak quickly regained his position to deny Cole Cassels on the rebound and preserve our 1-0 lead.

7) Jeremy Smith vs Traktor (Jan. 28)

After a flying to start to this game, the Dragons were up 3-0. But Traktor wasn’t about to roll over. The visitor threw everything into getting back into contention, giving Jeremy plenty of work to do. This double save was one of his most eye-catching: not just snuffing out Vitaly Kravtsov’s rush, but managing to regain position as his natural momentum slid him away from the net – and all in time to get a pad behind Grigory Dronov’s attempt on the rebound.

6) Kyle Keyser vs Spartak (Nov. 10)

This wasn’t one of our better games of the season, but it produced another big save from Keyser. Right at the end of the second period, just after Luke Lockhart’s power play goal got us off the mark, Spartak came down the ice looking to rebuild its lead. Andrei Loktionov was all alone at the far post and got off a great shot, but Kyle had it covered every inch of the way into his glove. Later in the game, Kyle denied Adam Ruzicka’s penalty shot.

5) Jeremy Smith vs Dinamo Minsk (March 9)

Arguably, this should never have been a save in the first place. Smitty looked like he was impeded by home forward Sam Anas, and found himself sat on the ice as Jordan Gross fired a shot through traffic. Unsighted and probably fouled, Smith still managed to get enough of a stick on it to deflect the puck to safety.

 

4) Kyle Keyser vs Sibir (Dec. 8)

File under daylight robbery. Sibir’s Sergei Shirokov dished the puck off for Nikita Korotkov, who was goalside of his defenseman and arriving at the back door with a wide open net to aim for. But Keyser read the play, flung himself across the crease to get into position and plucked the puck from air in fine style. Not bad, especially considering Kyle started the game as understudy and was pitched into the action after just five minutes’ play.

3) Kyle Keyser vs Lokomotiv (Oct. 16)

A blocker save notable for its athleticism to deny Georgy Ivanov. Also a stop that denied Yaroslav Likhachyov a helper after his incisive pass sliced through the defense to present Ivanov with a huge chance. Not long after, Likhachyov was icing for the Dragons on loan from the Railwaymen.

2) Jeremy Smith vs Lokomotiv (Sep. 9)

Something about facing Lokomotiv seems to bring out the acrobatic side of our goalies. Here’s Smitty leaping across his crease to pouch a seemingly certain goal for Maxim Shalunov in our September home game against Loko.

1) Kyle Keyser vs Severstal (Oct. 11)

Another save on Severstal, and Keyser at his best. You’ve heard of a ‘no-look’ pass? Here’s a ‘no-look’ save. Having already denied Vladimir Grudinin, Kyle was caught with his back to play as the puck dropped for Valentin Pyanov on the slot. No chance, right? Wrong! Tapping into the goalie’s sixth sense, Keyser anticipated a shot he couldn’t see, spreading himself across the crease to make a block, then batting the puck clear from behind his head.