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Animated: Matt Hendricks’ Off-The-Skate, Off-The-Stick Deflection Goal

By Ian Oland

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January 22, 2013 9:10 pm

matt-hendricks-goal-winnipeg-jets

Photo credit: Alex Brandon

Last season, it took Matt Hendricks 30 games to score his first goal of the season. This year, it took The Paralyzer two.

In the first period of the Washington Capitals home opener, Hendricks — slow to leave the ice on a shift change — joined first-liners Nicklas Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin in the Jets offensive zone. As Ovechkin passed to Backstrom at the top of the circles, Nicky then immediately sent a pass to Hendy camped out in the crease. Hendricks, unable to get his stick on the puck, did the next best thing: he deflected the biscuit towards the net with his skate blade. The puck then careened into the air, went off of the shaft of Hendy’s stick, and into the net. Legal goal!

Hendy scores in Caps home opener

GIF by welshhockeyfan.

This was Hendricks’ first goal in Washington since April 6, 2011 against the Florida Panthers. All four of Hendricks’ goal last season were on the road.

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