The Scorpion.

That’s the new name given to Miikka Kiprusoff’s unfathomable and instinctual “heel” save, the one made in the third period of Wednesday night’s 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks. It was the stamp and golden seal on his 300th career win, making him the 27th goaltender in NHL history to reach the mark.

If you still haven’t seen “The Scorpion” save yet, feast your eyes on the replay:

Pure. Instinct. Free-minded brilliance. Thought-less reflexes rooted in the essence of a true “read and react” save. I love the nickname for this save, because it reflects the animalistic nature of a sudden piercing movement based on pure survival. Like a stab to the heart, there is a purpose to his movements, despite the fact he has no time to think about it.

This is what makes an NHL goaltender elite, and this is what makes Kiprusoff so special; he constantly makes timely saves due to a never-give-up work ethic and never-say-die in-game personality.

I am not lying when I say I love everything about his game and style. You all know by now I have a true affinity for Finnish goaltenders, and he’s the perfect representation of one. He’s not only considered as one of the most flexible goalies in the world, he’s also considered as one of the most even-keeled. He always appears so calm, cool and collected in the crease, as his movements never seem to reflect that of a goalie experiencing frustration, anger or uncertain hesitations.

Kiprusoff’s “Element Map” from our NHL Goaltenders Style Guide

He’s extremely “fluid” in the crease, and he moves like water flowing down a slow-moving river. At the same time, he’s also like ice — so smooth, so cold, and so effective at freezing his opponents dead in their tracks. He rarely commits first, he’s sharp on his edges, and he has the intelligence to bait players into shooting wide, or right into his pads.

To me, this makes Kiprusoff one of the best goaltenders at channeling energy. He certainly experiences moments where adrenaline overflows and overwhelms his senses, but he channels it better than anyone else I know. He finds a way to keep it bottled in, but redirecting it in a manner that allows him to stay focused on the task at hand, and on living in the moment.

The result? Saves with their own unique nickname, and now, 300 NHL wins.

As soon as I saw Kiprusoff make “The Scorpion” save, it reminded me of a similar heel save he made against these same San Jose Sharks back in 2009. Check it out below, and gaze at the grace that is Kiprusoff’s instincts and puck-stopping senses:

Another thing I love about Kiprusoff is his technical and stylistic approach. He’s a traditional goalie in the sense that he’s not overly-obsessed with complex technique. He plays a very natural butterfly style that is enhanced by his incredible flexibility. This flexibility allows him to rely on reflexes, which then allows him to think less and react more. This is the type of goaltending a guy like myself drools over, because it’s simple and effective.

Put it all together and you have a goalie that is seemingly never out of a play. He’s “dynamic” from top to bottom, and he’s experienced enough to read plays and process patterns at the highest of levels. He knows when to challenge, he knows when to poke check, he knows when to show emotion, and he knows how to win all sorts of hockey games.

Kiprusoff strives not for perfection, but rather strives to make the big save at just the right time. If you have been watching him lately, you will admire his ability to treat his stick like a pitchfork; he digs in with an endearing work ethic every night and always gives the Flames a chance to win. He can kill off a two-man disadvantage better than any goalie I’ve ever seen, and he does it without any signs of exhaustion or frustration.

Call his most recent highlight-reel save whatever you want, but I’ll call Kiprusoff the Silent Assassin. Just as he has done since his days with the San Jose Sharks, to this very day, he gets the job done quietly. He has such a clean, effective, lethal ability to stop the puck, and because he is so focused on tracking the puck, he carries the type of confidence you want all young goaltenders to emulate as they get older.

So I bellow out a heavy cry of “Congratulations!!” to Kiprusoff for winning 300 NHL games. For, like Chris Osgood’s 400th career win last season, it was truly a well-earned milestone. I am fortunate to have been around to witness the evolution of Kiprusoff’s pro career, and I can’t wait until I get to write about his own 400th win in a few more years.