Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Tim Thomas sets new single-season NHL record for save percentage

Montreal Canadiens v Boston Bruins

on March 24, 2011 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Elsa

The big story out of Boston’s 3-1 win over Ottawa today was that Tim Thomas was able to break an NHL record that many fans might not be aware of.

With the Bruins playing tomorrow and Tuukka Rask getting the start then against New Jersey, Thomas broke Dominik Hasek’s single-season save percentage record finishing the year with a .9381 mark. Hasek set the record in the 1998-1999 season with a .937 save percentage as he was under siege that season and led the Buffalo Sabres to the Stanley Cup final. That season Hasek won the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender. All signs would point to a similar honor coming for Thomas at the end of this season.

One thing Thomas would like to do that Hasek did that year is make the Stanley Cup final. While Hasek wasn’t able to hold back the Dallas Stars that year, with the way Boston is rounding into form heading into the playoffs you’d have to think they stand a good chance of getting to the final and perhaps doing what Hasek couldn’t do that season.

Thomas’ work this year has been other-worldly for the most part and while he doesn’t have the numerous shutouts that Henrik Lundqvist of the Rangers has piled up (11 to be exact), he’s done well for himself by shutting teams out nine times this year. Putting a stellar 2.02 goals against average next to that .938 save percentage looks damn fine as well.

Thomas’ comeback this season has been a tremendous story. After dealing with a hip injury last season that seemed to doom his ability to be a starter again in the future along with Tuukka Rask’s rise to glory, Thomas’ ability to keep it going this year seemed in doubt. He’s more than silenced the critics this season. Now Thomas will prepare for the playoffs and what could prove to be a first round date with either Montreal or Buffalo.