Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Remember This? From March 9th - Backstrom Leads PENGUINS To Victory?



Caps forward Nicklas Backstrom, a possible leading candidate for the Calder trophy as the league's top rookie, scored a huge goal in a 2-2 game with 30 seconds left to give the Pittsburgh Penguins the lead en route to a 4-2 win in Washington.

If you think I made a mistake above, I don't blame you; by all means, it should be.

It isn't.

Sidney Crosby one-handed a desperation pass through the crease of Cristobal Huet, and the puck landed on young Backstrom's stick. Backstrom attempted to wrist the puck behind his net out of sheer panic, and wound up notching a goal that will not show up on the scoresheet...all it will do is leave him with a -1 on the play, and cost himself and his teammates a vital point in a sensational game that looked destined for overtime. Crosby was credited with the goal as he was the last Pens forward to touch the puck. Staal later added an empty netter set up by Malkin.

Immediately as Backstrom potted one past his own 'tender, Alex Ovechkin crumbled to the ice in a fetal position, with the reality of the situation sinking in immediately: a game which he and his teammates battled for to the bone had just been wasted away by a very bizarre own-goal.

Sidney Crosby was "mic'ed up" for the game on NBC/TSN, and they replayed the celebration footage, which allowed us to hear Crosby laughing and yelling to his teammates "He shot that in his own net!"

It certainly was something special to witness live. An identical event happened earlier in the year to Leafs d-man Bryan McCabe, who potted one home off of both posts past own-goalie Andrew Raycroft with 4 seconds remaining in an overtime session vs. the Buffalo Sabres.

2 comments:

x-ine said...

That poor guy must have been devastated to score a goal on Huet. I was hoping that the Capitals would win the game... I want to see them make the playoffs although they are still a good ways behind.

Max Power said...

Yeah I too am pulling for the Caps to sneak into the postseason, but it will be very interesting to see how Backstrom and the team altogether respond from this game.

Backstrom had to have had a sleepless night, of that there is no doubt in my mind. I feel so bad for him too, but really I just can't help myself but laugh when I see that video; it's just so unbelievable!