Gibson's stellar play keeping Ducks afloat in Pacific
There's no question John Gibson has been the Anaheim Ducks' most valuable player this season.
In the midst of his third full NHL campaign, Gibson, 23, has led the Ducks into a comfortable playoff position, matching the Edmonton Oilers' 72 points through 50 games.
Gibson's latest effort was a 24-save shutout over rival Los Angeles on Sunday night, another sterling performance that helped bail out the Ducks' sputtering offense, which manufactured just one goal in the win.
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In 45 starts this season, Gibson's posted a 23-15-8 record, with a 2.27 goals against average and a .922 save percentage. Solid numbers, indeed, but since the calendar flipped to 2017, Anaheim's go-to goal stopper has been on particularly a special run.
| Time frame | Starts | Record | GAA | Sv% | Shutouts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Since Jan. 1 | 19 | 11-6-1 | 1.82 (1st) | .939 (1st) | 4 (T-1st) |
Gibson's stellar numbers in the new year are especially impressive when considering he's faced the third-most shots of any goalie over that span (545) and his supporting cast has mustered just 50 goals over the last 22 games (ranking 24th in the league over that stretch).
While his stats of late have been better than all of his competitors', the Ducks expecting Gibson to maintain such a high level of performance from here on out could unhinge the playoff spot he's had such a large part in securing.