Welcome to “My Favorite Goal,” a regular feature from NBC Sports where our writers, personalities and NHL players remember the goals that have meant the most to them. These goals have left a lasting impression and there’s a story behind each one.
Today, Corey Abbott, Rotoworld NHL editor, recalls the time when Bobby Ryan scored a goal using Mikko Koivu‘s stick.
There have been numerous highlight-reel goals scored by great moves, outstanding hand-eye coordination or a big shot. We’ve probably seen more between the legs and lacrosse-style goals this season than we ever have before. The skill and creativity of hockey players is expanding at a rapid pace. However, I found it hard to choose a favorite goal that followed that formula. How do you pick one when we’ve seen so many?
I had a similar problem when I skimmed through all the playoff, overtime or international goals that I have witnessed in my lifetime. Those are obviously important moments that I will carry with me forever, but I found it difficult to pick just one from the crowd. I came very close to picking Sidney Crosby’s “golden goal” from the 2010 Winter Olympics, which recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary. I decided to take a different route.
Bobby Ryan scored a very unique goal against Minnesota on Dec. 12, 2010 when he was a member of the Ducks. Wild center Mikko Koivu lost his stick in the corner of his own zone late in the second period. He snatched the stick out of the hands of Ryan, who was in front of the net, and proceeded to play with it. Ryan was looking for a call, but didn’t get one from the referee, so he continued to battle for the puck in the corner until he spotted Koivu’s abandoned twig laying at his feet. Ryan, who shoots right-handed, picked up Koivu’s left-handed stick and positioned himself to the right of Minnesota goalie Niklas Backstrom. Of course, the puck came right to him and he one-timed into the net. It’s worth noting that Dylan Strome scored with an opponent’s stick while playing in the OHL, but he didn’t accomplish the feat with the wrong hand.
Ryan celebrated by defiantly holding up the stick to show it to Koivu. The Wild captain tried to get the goal called back, but he wasn’t successful in his attempt to get the play overturned. “As far as we were aware, there was no rule (against it), so you can’t take it back, I guess,” Ryan said after the game. “(Koivu) was complaining about it, and I just told him: ‘You took mine right out of my hands in the corner, so finder’s keepers, I guess.’ It’s been a while, so I’ll take them any way they can come right now. I was even thinking about getting a couple of left-handed sticks and finish it out.”
However, Koivu was correct and it wasn’t a goal that should have counted. It was missed by the officials because the strange sequence of events happened so fast and Koivu’s pickpocket of Ryan’s stick managed to avoid detection. According to Rule 10.3 under Broken Sticks: “A player who has lost or broken his stick may receive a replacement stick by having one handed to him from his own players’ bench; by having one handed to him by a teammate on the ice; or, by picking up his own unbroken stick or that of a teammate’s from the ice. A player will be penalized if he throws, tosses, slides or shoots a stick to a teammate on the ice, or if he picks up and plays with an opponent’s stick.”
This rule has come into play since Ryan scored. Pittsburgh’s Kris Letang was penalized in 2016 for using an illegal stick when he stole it from Tampa’s Cedric Paquette and Washington’s Evgeny Kuznetsov spent two minutes in the sin bin in 2018 after he picked up the twig of Vegas blueliner Nick Holden, which had become lodged in the glass.
Ryan was fortunate that the play went his way and it instantly became a goal that I will always remember. He has scored some fantastic goals during his 13-year career. He even scored one that earned a family a puppy, which was in turn named after him.
The latest great moment for Ryan came last week when he scored a hat trick in his first home game back from a three-month absence from the Senators after entering the NHL/NHLPA’s player assistance program. He sought help because of an ongoing battle with alcohol abuse and now he’s over 100 days sober. The crowd chanted “Bobby, Bobby!” as Ryan fought back tears on the bench.
Ryan’s redemption arc likely makes him the favorite for the Bill Masterton Trophy, which goes annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey.
Ryan has provided some great memories and I wish him all the best. Hopefully, he continues to get all the help he needs to live happily and to continue playing hockey.
