Hero goalie steals a win for his team despite being outshot 4-1.

Despite being a team sport, there is one position in the game of hockey where games are either broken open or sealed shut. That position is that of the goaltender, where a bad performance will haunt you or a magnificent one will etch your name in stone.

Michal Neuvirth had one of those games that get your name in the latter column.

The Flyers' goaltender made a playoff career-high 44 saves and the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Washington Capitals 2-0 in Game 5 on Friday night to stave off elimination in their first-round series.

His spectacular performance has utterly shifted the momentum in this series, and has left the President's Trophy winning Capitals looking for answers as to how to close out this opening round.

The Capitals did everything they could in their power to solve Neuvirth, to no avail. The 33-shot disparity (44 to 11) tied the second-biggest margin by a losing playoff team since 1989-90, according to STATS.

The 28-year-old Czech has carried his team since replacing Steve Mason when the Caps' led the series 3-0. He made a series of crucial saves during the game that allowed his team the opportunity to get right back into this series. The Capitals treated the Flyers' zone as a shooting gallery all game long, but Neuvirth proved to be up to the task.

The Flyers gave Neuvirth a cushion, as Ryan White was credited with a goal when it banked off Taylor Chorney's skate and in. The Flyers stagnant power-play fell to 1 for 21 in the series but remained alive. Afterward the Capitals applied immense pressure with Neuvirth making a big glove save on Daniel Winnik short-handed attempt early in the second period. Neuvirth continued to steal the show by making a huge stop on Karl Alzner, then denying Alex Ovechkin and robbing Marcus Johansson in the second period.

Neuvirth continued to stand on his head in the third period, with Flyers forward Chris VandeVelde scoring an empty-netter with 30.8 seconds left to seal the game for Philly.

By comparison, Capitals goaltender Brayden Holtby was virtually untested throughout the game, making a mere 10 saves in the loss.

Neuvirth's spectacular effort helped cut the series deficit to 3-2 and send it back to Philadelphia for Game 6 on Sunday. One would have to assume the momentum has shifted in this series, as the Capitals find themselves stumped in face of a hot goalie.

This series now seems very far from over.