My Favorite Goal

My Favorite Goal: Nyquist circles and circles the Senators

By Mar 18, 2020, 12:00 PM EDT
NHL
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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, Rotoworld’s Brian Rosenbaum remembers the time when Gustav Nyquist toyed with the Senators.

What made this goal so fantastic was that Nyquist basically had the puck for 30 seconds all by himself in a four-on-four situation circling in the offensive zone three times before firing his shot. The Ottawa players actually defended Nyquist quite well during his solo skate in their zone. But Nyquist is just mesmerizing to watch as he dipsy doodles around for a half a minute before winning the game.

“You know you have a little bit more space out there on four-on-four and the other guys did a good job creating space for me and I had a good screen in front,” Nyquist said afterward. “It’s tough to defend when you have a lot of room and you can protect (the puck) on the outside. I just tried to hold on to it as long as possible to get a good shot off and it worked.”

You check out previous “My Favorite Goal” entries here.

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Sean Leahy is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @Sean_Leahy.

My Favorite Goal: Hertl recalls Goodrow’s Game 7 overtime-winner for Sharks

By Mar 11, 2020, 12:35 PM EDT
My Favorite Goal Goodrow's Game 7 OT winner Sharks Hertl
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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.

In today’s edition, Tomas Hertl beams about Barclay Goodrow scoring the Game 7 overtime-winner for the Sharks against the Golden Knights, capping a wild end to that first-round series from the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs:

As with all of the goals from this feature, there are a ton of remarkable details. Goodrow had mostly been planted to the Sharks’ bench during this Game 7. After the Sharks made a stunning, controversial, and rule-changing comeback, Goodrow finally got his chance, and nailed it.

With a lot of these entries, we marvel at how much changed from decades ago.

It hasn’t even been a year since Goodrow’s Game 7 OT goal, yet you can marvel at the changes that have occurred since:

Pretty stunning, and yet it takes nothing away from Goodrow’s Game 7 OT goal.

You can check out previous “My Favorite Goal” entries here.

My Favorite Goal: Bobby Ryan borrows Mikko Koivu’s stick

By Mar 4, 2020, 12:00 PM EST
NHL

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.

You check out previous “My Favorite Goal” entries here.

My Favorite Goal: NHLers reflect on Sidney Crosby’s golden goal

By Feb 26, 2020, 4:00 PM EST
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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, Matt Dumba, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Matt Duchene reflect on Sidney Crosby‘s golden goal from the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games.

The road to gold was a tough one for Canada’s men’s team at the 2010 Olympics. Faced with the pressure of winning on home soil in Vancouver, the team finished second in their group to the U.S. and found themselves needing to stay alive in the qualification playoffs. From there they topped Germany, knocked out Russia, and edged Slovakia to set up a gold medal final against the Americans, who beat them 5-3 in the final preliminary game.

What once was a 2-0 Canada lead evaporated and overtime was needed after Zach Parise‘s tying goal with 24 seconds left in the third period. It was then in overtime that Crosby called for a pass from Jarome Iginla and beat Ryan Miller to win gold.

You check out previous “My Favorite Goal” entries here.

My Favorite Goal: Sakic helps end Canada’s Olympic gold drought

By Feb 19, 2020, 12:00 PM EST
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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, PHT’s Joey Alfieri remembers Joe Sakic’s goal that sealed Canada’s win in the 2002 Olympic gold medal game.

It might be easy for some to forget now, but Canada went through an Olympic gold medal drought that lasted 50 years. Sure, NHLers weren’t allowed in the Olympics throughout most of that slump, but it was a big deal when I was growing up. Let me add a little background to my international hockey obsession.

As a youngster growing up in Montreal, Quebec, the first international tournament I really remember paying close attention to was the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Japan. At the time, I was eight years old and I remember sitting on my couch watching the  Canada-Czech Republic semifinal with those hockey cards you could cut out from behind the Kraft Dinner macaroni and cheese boxes (anyone else remember those things?). In one hand, I had a Patrick Roy card and in the other, I had a Dominik Hasek card.

Of course, both goalies were going head-to-head that day, which is why I had those cards close by. When Hasek stopped Brendan Shanahan on Canada’s final shootout attempt, I was in shambles. I remember my family trying to console me, but there was nothing anyone could say that to take the pain of losing to the Czechs go away in that moment.

I look back on that moment now and realize the heartbreak I suffered took my passion for the sport to another level. It was the first time I was really heartbroken over a single hockey moment.

I was so distraught that I tore my Hasek and Roy cards to pieces. I was furious at Hasek for winning, I was heartbroken that Roy didn’t make one more save. It was terrible. I’ll never forget Hasek leaping into the air repeatedly seconds after that game ended.

Anyway, let’s fast-forward to 2002.

You have to keep in mind that my love for international hockey intensified year after year leading up to the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. There was more heartbreak between the 1998 Olympic loss and the 2002 triumph though.

During those years, I began following the World Junior Championship closely and it just so happened that Canada failed to win the tournament every year between 1998 and 2005. My frustration with Hockey Canada was pretty high heading into that 2002 tournament.

I remember head coach Pat Quinn announcing that Curtis Joseph would be his starting goaltender heading into the tournament. I recall not being a fan of that move (keep in mind, I was 12-year-old living in Martin Brodeur’s hometown).

So, Canada opened the tournament with a 5-2 loss to Team Sweden. The Swedes were loaded with talent, but I was still stunned. It’s not the way I expected the Canadians to open the tournament. The confidence in my team, which probably took four years to develop, was gone in one night.

But Canada ended up switching from Joseph to Brodeur and they managed to beat Germany 3-2 in their second game. The Canadians then tied the Czechs in their final round robin game. Throughout this entire opening round, I never allowed myself to think that they had a legitimate chance at gold. After all, I was just trying to avoid the same sting I felt last time.

So, the knockout portion of the tournament comes and Canada beats Finland 2-1 in the quarter-final, and then they take out Belarus, who shocked Sweden, rather easily (7-1) in the semi-final.

It’s Canada and Team USA in the final for all the marbles.

Sunday, Feb. 24, 2002. It’s a day I’ll never forget. Like every fan, I was nervous. And I was sick and tired of hearing about this 50-year gold medal drought everyone was talking about.

The game starts, and Tony Amonte opens the scoring for the Americans. Here we go again. The Canadians respond with two goals from Paul Kariya and Jarome Iginla before the end of the first frame and Canada goes into the intermission with a 2-1 lead. I’m just a kid, but I’m a wreck. The intermissions felt like they lasted a lifetime.

Brian Rafalski ties the game in the second period, but Joe Sakic puts Canada up by a goal late in the second period.

20 minutes to go.

The Canadians were nursing that one-goal lead for most of the final period. With every great American chance, I was getting more and more antsy. Finally, Iginla scored his second goal of the game with four minutes remaining to give Canada a two-goal edge. I was ecstatic, but I still wanted to hold off celebrating.

But then it happened.

It’s a goal call that I’ll never forget by my favorite play-by-play announcer, Bob Cole.

Canada trying to hang on. They get a break. It’s gonna be a break. It is Joe Sakic…scores! Jiiiiiiiiooooo Sakic scores! And that makes it 5-2 for Canada. Surely, that’s gotta be it!

I’ll never forget the way Cole said Sakic’s full name after that puck crossed the goal line. It was perfect. What a moment.

Finally, I realized that the ridiculous drought I had been hearing about for weeks was about to become a thing of the past.

Even though Sakic’s goal wasn’t the game-winner or anything like that, it symbolized so much more to me. It was the final nail in Team USA’s coffin and it made the 1998 heartbreak hurt a lot less.

“As a kid growing up in Canada, you dream of playing in the NHL, winning a Stanley Cup, and one day wearing a Team Canada jersey,” Sakic told Olympic.ca. “Having the chance to play for my country at the Olympics, and especially winning a gold medal in Salt Lake City, was an amazing and memorable experience I’ll always cherish.”

Most Canadians never get to represent their country on the international stage, but Sakic’s goal made every hockey fan in the nation feel like something special. As Canadians, we’re supposed to be good at hockey. For a long while, it didn’t feel that way. But that day in February, one man’s goal changed everything.

PREVIOUSLY ON MY FAVORITE GOAL:
• Darren McCarty shows off goal-scoring hands during 1997 Cup Final
• Alex Ovechkin scores ‘The Goal’ as a rookie
• Marek Malik’s stunning shootout winner
• Paul Henderson scores for Canada
• Tomas Hertl goes between-the-legs
• Borschevsky’s goal sealed with a kiss
• Bolland clinches Cup for Blackhawks 17 seconds later
• Stoll completes Kings’ upset over Canucks

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Joey Alfieri is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @joeyalfieri.