Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov scored the third ‘Michigan Goal’ of his NHL career on Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman on Tuesday night.
Svechnikov beat Jeremy Swayman with the trick goal 10:55 into the second period to give the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead and give the Russian winger 19 goals this season.
Since the puck went in and out so fast, play continued, and the goal had to be reviewed after the next whistle. Just as referees Ghislain Hebert and Brandon Blandina, as well as the NHL video war room, did when they called back a Martin Necas goal 1:59 into the first period, they got it right, counting the Svechnikov goal.
Speaking of that called-back Necas goal that would’ve seen the Boston bruins go down 1-0, that was a bank shot from behind the net. One has to wonder, based on the fact that Svechnikov then scored his third career ‘Michigan Goal,’ do the Hurricanes feel that Swayman can be beaten from behind the net?
As for Svechnikov, he was the first NHLer to pull off the move that became popular with this goal by former University of Michigan forward Mike Legg in the 1996 NCAA Hockey Tournament.
On October 29, 2019, Svechnikov became the first NHLer to score ‘The Michigan’ when he beat then-Calgary Flames goalie David Rittich with the move.
Less than two months later, Zvechnikov did it again when he beat Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck on Dec. 17.
Anaheim Ducks and former Boston University forward Trevor Zegras scored on ‘The Michigan’ in 2021 and 2022; Nashville Predators forward Filip Forsberg did the same in 2022, and Chicago Blackhawks rookie sensation and 2024 Calder Trophy favorite Connor Bedard pulled it off earlier this season.
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