JAKE ALLEN
DEC. 5 –10, 2017
4 W IN 4 GP
.944 SV%, 1.49 gaa
101 SAVES, 1 SHUTOUT
Jake Allen was instrumental in helping the St. Louis Blues to a turnaround week as he led all NHL goaltenders with four wins, while towing a 1.50 goals-against average and .944 save percentage and picking up his first shutout of the season.
Allen started the week by helping his team reverse a three-game losing skid by starting a four-game winning streak with a 4-3 victory at Bell Centre Tuesday. Blues teammate Brayden Schenn potted a hat trick to provide the offence while Allen himself turned aside 22 shots over the game. Allen maintained his composure despite having to exit play in the second period due to a broken skate blade. While backup Carter Hutton stepped om for 3:27 of ice time, he did not have to face a shot.
"I tried to get up and I fell, I had no blade left," Allen spoke of the mishap to reporters. "Both bolts broke out of my blade. They didn't have the equipment on the bench."
With the comforts of home ice at Scottrade Center Thursday, Allen made 29 saves against the visiting Dallas Stars for his first shutout of the season, and was named the game's first star. The performance was his 16th shutout over his NHL career, which tied Glenn Hall for third most in franchise history.
"It's pretty cool," Allen admitted to reporters post game. "I think it was a lot harder for Glenn to make shutouts back in the day than it is for us. I'll take it, and it's pretty cool to have that under my belt, and hopefully I get a lot more in the next few years."
Stars captain Jamie Benn came closest to ending Allen’s bid for the shutout with a near-goal in the middle frame, but the near buzzer-beater was deemed too late upon on video review.
Saturday night meant a trip to Little Caesars Arena, where Allen stood tall against the Detroit Red Wings to claim back-to-back first star performances. He made 28 saves en route to a 6-1 win for St. Louis, extending his team's winning streak to three. Though the final score suggested slightly lopsided play, Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill spoke highly of his own team's performance, as well as Allen's.
"Obviously no one wants to lose 6-1, but if we keep playing the way we did in the first two periods tonight, we'll win games," Blashill said post game. "We got great pressure and created chances, but Jake Allen was great and their shots went in."
Allen cemented his selection as Player of the Week performer with his fourth straight win in four starts playing once home ice Sunday against the Buffalo Sabres. The second of back-to-back games was decided in overtime as the 27-year-old stopped 22 shots before teammate Vladimir Tarasenko scored with 35.2 seconds left in overtime.
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Complete listing of the 2017-18 NHLPA.com Players of the Week here.