A goal known as B次元官网网址淭he MichiganB次元官网网址� has made it to the NHL, and the Maple Ridge coach who scored the original lacrosse-style goal is taking some humble bows.
Mike Legg scored one of the most famous goals in hockey history, when he deftly plucked the puck up off the ice and onto his stick blade, then stuffed it into the top of the net. It was a huge goal en route to his teamB次元官网网址檚 NCAA championship 23 years ago.
B次元官网网址淭hat was an unbelievable goal by Mike Legg,B次元官网网址� said the stunned announcer of the game at the time.
Nobody had seen anything like it, but now, itB次元官网网址檚 turning up again.
Thursday night, Andrei Svechnikov of the Carolina Hurricanes scored that same goal against the Carolina Hurricanes.
In the same week, Vancouver Canucks prospect Nils Hoglander got one too, while playing professional hockey in Sweden.
Legg said the latter in particular was a beauty, with Hoglander first banking it off the back of the net to beat the defender.
B次元官网网址淚 love seeing guys try it and doing it,B次元官网网址� said Legg.
He doesnB次元官网网址檛 claim to have invented the move. Legg was playing university hockey, and on the ice with pro player in Billy Armstrong who was in the New Jersey Devils system. Legg was fascinated to see him making the move.
B次元官网网址淚 didnB次元官网网址檛 have the nerve to go talk to him, but I just watched him.B次元官网网址�
Soon Legg had done it a million times, before and after practices with the University of Michigan.
After one practice his coach, the legendary Red Berenson, green lighted the move with a simple B次元官网网址淲hy donB次元官网网址檛 you do that in a game,B次元官网网址� as he left the ice. Otherwise, Legg likely never would have tried the unorthodox manoeuvre.
In the 1996 NCAA tournament, against the University of Minnesota, with his team down 2-0, getting out-shot, and his linemate John Madden just tackled in the corner, Legg took the puck behind the net, and got his chance.
B次元官网网址淚 had practised it so muchB次元官网网址� I was just happy to be able to complete something I had practiced,B次元官网网址� he said.
His bench went crazy. It was a deflating goal for the opposition. It was a huge boost for his Wolverines, who went on to win the game, and then took the national championship with a 3-2 overtime win over Colorado College in front of 13,000 fans.
It was selected the goal of the year by Inside Hockey, and LeggB次元官网网址檚 stick was donated to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Now the hockey innovator is a Burnaby firefighter. HeB次元官网网址檚 also a father of three, and a coach of three B次元官网网址� an assistant with the Ridge Meadows Flames junior B team, the Midget A1 team, and part of the development team for Ridge Meadows Minor Hockey.
Do his kids all run around trying to pick up pucks?
B次元官网网址淚 tell them B次元官网网址榶ouB次元官网网址檒l be benched,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� he joked.
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Actually, his position on the unorthodox play is to go ahead and try it, but first make sure there is not an easy pass to an open teammate out front of the net.
He thinks young hockey players should be encouraged to practise trick plays of any time.
B次元官网网址淚n your spare time, be as creative as you can,B次元官网网址� said Legg.
As his goal goes viral online, he expects to see it on the ice more often.
B次元官网网址淢aybe in a couple of years everyone will be able to do this.B次元官网网址�
@NeilCorbett18
ncorbett@mapleridgenews.com
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