Note: Don’t forget that you still have time to vote for last week’s best goal here.
While I at least try to stay away from choosing shootout goals for these awards, penalty shots are a little different. For one thing, they take place during the actual flow of a game and therefore aren’t involved in the shameful pursuit of a “charity point.” The other big factor is that a player earns a penalty shot, which is far more impressive than a coach tapping your shoulder.
When push comes to shove, I might take a in-game breakaway over a penalty-shot goal (or a great goal against staunch defense) but Henrik Sedin’s goal against Martin Brodeur blows away the competition tonight. That penalty shot tally made it 3-0 for Vancouver, the final nail in the coffin for another embarrassing Devils defeat.