Malcolm Subban records his first Blackhawks’ shutout win

Malcolm Subban was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks almost a year ago in a deal that sent Robin Lehner to the Vegas Golden Knights. While Subban was just a backup goalie for the team as they finished out the season, he is quietly building some momentum within the organization.

Subban was drafted in the first round of the 2012 NHL draft by the Boston Bruins. Since then, Subban has failed to find a home city as he bounced around from the Boston Bruins to the Vegas Golden Knights before becoming a part of the Chicago Blackhawks.

Over the course of his 71 game career, Subban has now recorded two shutouts. Last night’s game showed just how good Subban can be for the Blackhawks. While he did show some flaws and lost his net on occasion, he made some big saves when the team needed him most.

Chicago is lucky to have Subban in net, and while I do think Collin Delia deserves another shot, Subban is a solid backup for the organization. After starting the season against Tampa Bay and giving up five goals, Subban did not get another chance in net for a while, but he eventually broke through and has been incredible.

Subban has been on fire during the month of February for the Blackhawks.

Kevin Lankinen can not play every night, and luckily for the Blackhawks, Subban has been great. During February, Subban started in three games, and he posted a goals-against-average of .96 and a save percentage of .965 during the month thus far. While those numbers might be slightly skewed due to the shutout last night, his other performances were a win against Dallas, where he had 30 saves, and a win against Detroit where he posted 27 saves.

The Blackhawks have needed good performances from their netminders this season to sneak away with games. Every game seems to be just a one-goal game for Chicago, and while that is not a bad thing, it does show how a costly mistake in the defensive zone can completely turn the game around. Luckily for the ‘Hawks, Subban and Lankinen have been there to keep things close.

"The Chicago Blackhawks’ March Schedule Will be a Doozy"

The Blackhawks play back-to-back games against Detroit this weekend. Expect Kevin Lankinen to get back in the net after giving up four goals on Tuesday and not playing one of his best games. I also wouldn’t count out Subban for Sunday’s game as back-to-backs against a team like Detroit can warrant a start from someone outside of Lankinen.