It’s been one heck of a hockey season even beyond the NHL.
From dramatic incidents to big hits and emerging stars, the 2013-2014 campaign hasn’t failed to excite. Nothing, however, draws as much attention to itself as a spectacular goal.
There was no shortage of beauties scored at all levels of hockey this season making it nearly impossible to pick the ten best. Here they are, though: The top 10 goals of the 2013-2014 hockey season.
No. 10 – Poop through a diarrhea infected goose
Jamie Benn (or the Carolina Hurricanes’ defence) provided Dallas Stars commentator Daryl Reaugh reason to give us what may go down as the best – or most entertaining — call in hockey history.
No. 9 – What happened to the puck?
It was a pass and a half by Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman Ryan Murray that sent teammate Ryan Johansen in on LA Kings goalie Martin Jones, who went from prepared to wondering what the heck just happened in about two seconds.
No. 8 – Welcome to the circus
Loui Eriksson, a centrepiece of the trade that saw Tyler Seguin move from Boston to Dallas, showed Bruins fans exactly what he’s made of with this early-season goal. Watch as Eriksson takes a pass from Carl Soderberg behind him, pulls it between his legs and opens up the five-hole of Marc-Andre Fleury before tucking it in the back of the net.
No. 7 – Did I see that right?
I bet you couldn’t track a puck off the boards, battle off David Savard in time to gain full control, put the puck on your backhand and fire it over the shoulder of Curtis McElhinney from a tough angle while falling forwards. Oh, did I mention he never once looked at the net?
No. 6 – A sliver of light
In case you didn’t know, Phil Kessel is fast.
No. 5 – Serpentine
If you weren’t already aware that Jamie Benn knows how to play hockey, we present you with his second appearance on the list.
Niklas Kronwall isn’t exactly a poor defensive player but Benn certainly made him look like one.
No. 4 – Welcome to the NHL
Tomas Hertl was already having a spectacular night with three goals to his name in just his third NHL contest.
Call it hotdogging, call it ignorant, call it whatever you want. The San Jose commentator said he best: “Nineteen years of age. That’s confidence. That’s a high level of skill.”
No. 3 – A young Pavel Datsyuk
Pavel Datsyuk may be nowhere to be found on this list, but his successor is.
Watch as Sergey Tolchinsky of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds brings the puck through his legs on the forehand while turning to face away from the net, then roofs it upstairs on the Sarnia Sting netminder.
No. 2 – I don’t know how he did it, but he did it
Tomas Tatar continued his breakout season by kicking off the New Year in style. Tatar royally embarrassed Brendan Dillon and Alex Goligoski on his way to backhanding the puck past Kari Lehtonen.
No. 1 – Um…
This.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
Another day, another between the legs goal (or two)
It’s a move we’ve seen time and time again, including at number four on the above list: the between the legs goal. If it weren’t for his age and the number of goals he scored in the game, Tomas Hertl would find himself right here with Nick Foligno and Nathan Gerbe in the nice-but-not-nice-enough category.
Enjoy, folks.
The spin-o-wow
He’s not the only one to pull this move, but Steven Stamkos’ version of the shootout spin-o-rama may be the nicest in recent memory.
The Butt Goal
Last but not least, how could we ever forget Mark Pysyk’s second career NHL goal at 3:47 of overtime, winning the title of Goal of the Year in its own right.
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Lukas, a student at the University of Ottawa, covers the Toronto Maple Leafs on a part-time basis for The Hockey Writers. Contact Lukas at lukas.hardonk@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter, @LukasHardonk.
Looked good to me… I didn’t see any Wild Players though… :)
This being a subjective post Lukas understand that my comment too will be subjective, but including the Hertl goal? Your reasoning is the fact that he was 19 and that it was his fourth goal of the game; otherwise it was no more amazing than Gerbe or Foligno. I, on the other hand, would argue that his age is immaterial — even his coach said later, “He doesn’t even realize where he is right now” — and that the fact that it was his fourth goal actually works against his case for inclusion. When Foligno scored, the score was 0-0. Foligno wasn’t skating circles around the opposition with a ton of confidence in him. Not only that, but Foligno has very little time to plan the move, it’s almost spontaneous. Hertl, cheating behind the slacking Rangers D, had plenty of time.
But that’s just my opinion. That Tatar goal is dynamite, damn! And again just personal opinion, I would have put Giroux’s goal at the top. It’s unlike any other goal scored in this list and is so skilled it’s an otherwise unthinkable goal.