When the Chicago Blackhawks signed goaltender Robin Lehner in July, they knew they exactly what they were going to get from the 2018-19 Vezina nominee.
Solid, steady, high-end goaltending.
Lehner currently leads the the NHL with a .938 save percentage and has enjoyed another hot start, picking up right where he left off last year with the New York Islanders. The star goaltender does, however, struggle in the shootout department.
Lehner has lost 22 of his 30 career shootouts, and allows 47.8 percent of shot attempts to score.
This trend continued on Saturday, when Blackhawks backstop allowed two goals on two shots in a 2-1 shootout loss against the Dallas Stars.
Lehner, who is aware of his struggles in the shootout, addressed the media following the loss in Dallas.
"I'm not very good at them. I don't seem to make the save in the shootout and I do on the breakaways. It's a little bit different in speed for me, but it's what it is. Never been good at it. I've tried to do a bunch of different things, but it's what it is. I don't have an answer for you."
Lehner would then take to Twitter, calling out Buffalo sports columnist Mike Harrington and the «hockey experts» on the internet.
Harrington tweeted regarding Lehner's performance in regulation/OT and his 0 for 2 shootout performance. Lehner saw it and returned fire, telling Harrington to «make a save.»
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Lehner would also make a statement via twitter, noting that his struggles in the shootout are not related to his struggles with mental health, a hot topic from the last few seasons. He made clear that he's aware of his issues in the shootout, and that he and his goalie coaches are trying to figure out the issue.
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The Blackhawks net-minder, who has been more than open with fans and the media regarding his struggles, would end his Twitter rant with a thank you, stating that he'll make sure to give credit to the online «hockey experts» if he wins a shootout in the future.
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This incident further speaks to the courage of Robin Lehner, who has faced many ups and downs throughout his career, reaffirming that he isn't afraid to address his issues, whether they're on or off the ice.
