Rookie Goalie Michal Postava The Feel-Good Story in a Not-So-Feel-Good Loss for the Oilers

Nothing compares to being thrown into the fire. In his first-ever NHL appearance, Detroit Red Wings rookie goaltender Michal Postava faced two of the world’s best and didn't just come out on top; he made a statement. He stopped Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in a 3-2 shootout win for his first career victory, and he was all smiles, getting congratulatory texts from his family watching from afar in Czechia.Asked how it feels to play his first game, pick up his first win and do it against elite offensive superstars: "It's amazing. I feel like a kid... I watch all the NHL games when I was young. I think don't expect it. Like I'd be one day in the net and win the game. I'm just so happy."His teammates and coach was happy for him too. While others might not have expected much from Postava—many probably knowing little to nothing about him—Todd McLellan was confident in the young man's ability. "We had a pretty good idea that Postava was what we saw tonight, and he was outstanding last year; the start to the season was really good. Unfortunately, the way the exhibition schedule is set up now, these goaltenders don't get a lot of runway, which I think sucks for them." He added, "But yeah, we've liked him all along, and he's continued to work. The goaltending coaches are very confident in him. So are the players."Like the fans, the Oilers might not have known much about Postava. They do now. He made 25 saves on 28 shots, then went 3-for-3 in the shootout. He battled all night and as Max Bultman of The Athletic wrote, "The biggest thing that stands out about Postava's game is the way he battles in that crease, and you just saw it there at the end of OT. What a competitor."Edmonton had its chances. Up 1-0, the game was tied 1-1 after a scary injury to Zach Hyman. He hit his head on the boards after Andreas Englund delivered one of his many hits of the evening. Hyman did not return, and head coach Mike Babcock said it was concerning to see Hyman injured twice in the young season. There was no timeline update on his return. The Oilers had a 2-1 lead on a goal from Isaac Howard, his first of the season. Detroit tied almost immediately. Edmonton took a 3-2 lead with little time left. The Red Wings pulled Postava and tied it. Overtime solved nothing and the rookie goalie took over in the shootout. Postava With a Game to RememberWhen asked about staring down McDavid, Draisaitl and Nugent-Hopkins, Postava responded, "That's crazy. If you see how many points they have so far...It's I think, the two best players right now. So yeah, it's maybe more amazing to me that we won."Postava was getting texts from his family back home in Valašské Meziříčí, CZE, Czechia. "I think all my friends and family just texted me they were watching, and I think they were more nervous than me. I just hope they're happy, and I think they have to go work now.""We're so excited for him and happy for him. And sometimes, that's how it happens," said McLellan. "Goalie gets a start such as this one and plays really well and gets the win." He added, "We think that he anticipates so well; he can read where the shot release is going, anticipates well and gets into position, and then there's not a lot that lays around after that."McLellan was bang on. Postava left little to nothing for the Oilers. He was the best player in the game and for his first NHL start, that's quite the storyline.See more of The Hockey News on Google and save us as a preferred source. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.