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There is a theory, Anders Nilsson doesn’t show well.

Not in practice, anyway.

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In net, he’s quiet and constrained. It reads, at times, unathletic, especially when juxtaposed to the sprawling agility possessed by some of his colleagues.

Like, say, Jacob Markstrom.

Practice is a different animal. Forwards freely whirl around the slot, picking corners like they have all time in the world, mostly because they do.

In this environment, more athletic goalies can lunge, extend and ferociously twist their bodies to make incredible saves. You know, saves that get your heart racing.

Calmer goalies, like Nilsson, get corners picked. They look more vulnerable.

Of course, in games, Nilsson has looked anything but.

In games, forwards are forced to make split-second decisions. In games, it takes tremendous luck, timing and skill to pick a corner. In games, Nilsson has been a beast.

Photo by Harry How / PNG

After 19 days between starts, Nilsson gave up a bad goal, on a bad shot Tuesday. He rebounded. He got better as the game unfurled and he closed out the L.A. Kings with his best 20-minute stretch of the season.