jacob markstrom – Page 3

By Jason Brough Sept 19, 2016

It should be obvious by now that Jim Benning is extremely loyal to Ryan Miller. The Canucks’ general manager was instrumental in the drafting of the American netminder (almost two decades ago in Buffalo), and one of Benning’s first moves in Vancouver was tosign Miller to a three-year, $18 million deal.

And while 26-year-old Jacob Markstrom is most definitely on the rise, Benning insisted today that Miller, whose contract expires after this season, is still the man for the Canucks.

“Ryan Miller is our No. 1 goalie,” Benning told TSN 1040 radio (audio). “He’s a guy that, he has the experience, he had a good season for us last year. So let’s make no mistake about that, first and foremost, Ryan’s our No. 1 goalie, but I feel we have two real good goalies and that’s a strength of our team.”

Benning did watch Markstrom make a surprise start for Sweden yesterday at the World Cup, and he was “really happy” to see his young netminder stop all but one of the 28 shots he faced in a 2-1 win over Russia.

“I think this is a good step for him in his confidence and going forward, so I was happy that he played real good and his team won,” said Benning.

The message for Markstrom is that he’ll have to outplay the 36-year-old Miller to become the No. 1, and that’s certainly fair enough. Both goalies had similar save percentages last season. Markstrom’s was .915 in 33 games, Miller’s was .916 in 51 games.

Source: ‘Make no mistake,’ Ryan Miller is still the No. 1 goalie in Vancouver – ProHockeyTalk

Henrik Sedin and Jacob Markstrom of Team Sweden celebrate their 2-1 victory over Team Russia during the World Cup of Hockey 2016 at the Air Canada Centre on Sept. 18, 2016 in Toronto (Credit: Getty Images / Bruce Bennett)

SEPT 18, 2016

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

TORONTO — Jacob Markstrom made 27 saves in place of ill star Henrik Lundqvist, and Gabriel Landeskog and Victor Hedman scored second-period goals to help Sweden beat Russia 2-1 on Sunday in their World Cup of Hockey opener.

Alex Ovechkin scored for Russia, and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 27 shots in the Group B game.

Ovechkin thought he tied it with 7 seconds left, but officials waved it off, ruling the puck went off Ovechkin’s glove and in.

Lundqvist was a late scratch due to an illness, forcing Markstrom to start.

The Russians tested Markstrom early as Vladimir Tarasenko one-timed a shot off Evgeni Malkin’s faceoff win, but Markstrom was able to get his left pad on it and steer it aside just 30 seconds into the game.

Moments later, Tarasenko hit Markstrom in the mask with a shot that the Vancouver goalie was able to shake off.

Landeskog got Sweden on the board with a power-play goal, one-timing Erik Karlsson’s pass over Bobrovsky’s blocker at 10:41 of the second period. Less than 2 minutes later, Hedman one-timed Carl Hagelin’s feed glove-side past Bobrovsky.

Ovechkin scored with 33 seconds left in the third, putting a wrist shot from the point off the post and past a screened Markstrom.

Russia returns to action Monday night against Team North America. The Swedes play Finland on Tuesday.