Holtby Sets Capitals Record with 23rd Consecutive Start

Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby set a franchise record by making his 23rd consecutive start in Sunday's 2-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings, breaking the old record of 22 starts set by Wayne Stephenson during the 1979-80 campaign, per The Washington Post.

While Stephenson struggled to a 18-24-10 record for a last-place team that season, Holtby owns an outstanding 40-19-10 mark for the playoff-bound 2014-15 Capitals.

The 25-year-old netminder made sure to make the best of his milestone start, stopping 35 of the 36 shots he faced against another Eastern Conference playoff contender.

Holtby is among the NHL leaders in a number of key goaltending categories this season, ranking first in games played (71), third in wins (40), third in shutouts (eight) and first in saves (1,830). He also ranks sixth in goals-against average (2.24) and 11th in save percentage (.922) among all qualified goaltenders, despite playing for a team that has mostly been known for its offensive prowess in recent years.

Holtby and forward Alexander Ovechkin have been the leaders in rescuing Washington from a slow start, as the team owned a 10-10-4 record at one point in early December.

With the slow start forcing the Capitals to grind for a playoff berth all season, Holtby was put in a perfect position to manage the league's heaviest workload.

Of course, if he struggles in the playoffs or breaks down next season, there may be some questions about whether the massive workload was such a good idea.