Goal of The Year? – San Jose Sharks William Eklund Scored The Ultra Rare "Goal You've Probably Never Seen Before" Last Night
To answer my own question, my gut is telling me no. I can't necessarily think of a better goal off the top of my head, but I'm going to say that won't quite hold up as "goal of the year" in the NHL this season. But if I throw a "?" in there, then I'm merely posing a question. That's how question marks work. That goal was surely good enough for me to pose the question.
I only lean no because there was a little bit of luck involved. The puck had to bounce perfectly off Swayman's pad in order for Eklund to pull that off. But still... for Eklund to slip that puck under the defenseman's stick, follow the rebound into the air, then leave his feet and contort his body before catching the puck squarely on the blade of his stick, then hammering it bar down as he's falling backwards... that was all skill, athleticism and world-class hand-eye coordination. Who'd have thought a goal of that caliber would be scored by a San Jose Sharks player other than this guy?
Not tonight 19-year old Macklin Celebrini. That game was about 23-year old William Eklund.
The young Sharks. Fun to watch. The more I watch the goal (especially from this next angle) was that shot actually a double clanger? Did that puck go crossbar, far right post, then in?
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Alight, fuck it. I'll give it to him. Goal of the year. That was something I've ever seen before in hockey. That's tough to do. It's also a goal that almost certainly will never be replicated. And perhaps most importantly, it's a goal that makes for a really really really cool poster. If I were William Eklund, I might wallpaper my entire house with this.
I'm at least covering a guest bathroom in it. Just to remind my friends and relatives why the house they're in is so damn nice.
Bonus Hockey Highlight I Didn't Think Was Blog Worthy But Made Me Laugh:
Hell yeah, Tage. Let it rip. Let it rip again… and again… and again… and again. Even Tage Thompson couldn't help but laugh on his way back to the bench. Those five straight one-timers were an obnoxious new-to-the-game hockey fan who doesn't understand why his team isn't shooting the puck more's wet dream. If only his teammates could have set him up for a sixth. No way he misses six in a row.