Greatest Save Candidate: Bussi leaves fans stunned with save against Sabres

All saves are worth it to a team playing defense, but this year thanks to the "Hyundai Hope on Wheels Greatest Save" program each stop will be worth a little more. The NHL has partnered with the NHLPA, The V Foundation and Hyundai Canada to make every save worth an additional $10 donation to pediatric cancer research. The program is projected to yield over $700,000 in donation money this season.

It was a save so nice, not even the TNT broadcast crew could believe it.

Carolina Hurricanes goalie Brandon Bussi flashed the leather and made an unbelievable save midway through the second period of Monday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres.

Bussi – faced with a 2-on-0 with Sabres forwards Tage Thompson and Jason Zucker – kept his eye on the puck as Thompson and Zucker played tick-tack-toe, before Thompson fired one off at Bussi, who made the point-blank save.

After the play, TV announcer Alex Faust called the goal for Thompson, and the TV score bug even flashed the goal graphic, before a second look at the play showed the save.

It’s certainly an understandable mistake, as you almost have to watch the play in slow motion to see the puck hit Bussi’s glove.

It’s the kind of save that you want to see from every angle you can.

And Bussi wasn’t done after that.

Just a few minutes later, Bussi faced another top-tier shot from Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin.

Dahlin got a good look off a pass from Konsta Helenius, but Bussi was lightning quick in getting his left pad to the far end of the goalpost, stopping the puck from hitting the back of the net.

This season -- Bussi's first in the NHL -- has been nothing short of impressive so far. He's spent much of his career in the AHL since he went undrafted in 2022.

He’s played in just 21 NHL games this year, but already has 17 wins to his name. He won his NHL debut on Oct. 14 against the San Jose Sharks and earned his first career shutout on Nov. 30, an overtime win against the Calgary Flames.