It was Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2018. Tuch, then a member of the Vegas Golden Knights, swept the puck toward an open net — only for Capitals goalie Braden Holtby to make a stupendous save with a desperate reach of his stick and blocker. Washington held on to win 3-2, knotting the series on the way to a five-game triumph.
“I talked to Holtby in the line afterward and he said it was the luckiest save of his life,” Tuch said Friday. “So that made me feel a little bit better — but not really at the same time, because he was shaking my hand after winning the Cup.”
Tuch was in his first full season that year. Now he’s a three-time 30-goal scorer the Capitals acquired in a trade this week with Buffalo. He spent four seasons with Vegas and then five with the Sabres.
His arrival in Washington brings plenty of hope for Capitals fans, plus some great memories that aren’t quite as fond to Tuch. When asked about Holtby’s save, he responded by thanking the questioner “for asking the question I’ve been trying to avoid for a long time.”
“That was an incredible save, but at the same time it was an incredible experience for me,” Tuch said. “I hated that I came up short. It bothers me to this day that we didn’t win that Stanley Cup, but I was just so grateful. I was grateful that entire year to just be in the NHL.”
Tuch won’t be playing with many of the guys who beat him in 2018, but Tom Wilson is still with the Capitals. Alex Ovechkin’s status remains unclear for next season.
“If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em I guess,” Tuch said.