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Troy Brouwer Calls Nicklas Backstrom’s Empty Net Play the “Most Unselfish Thing I’ve Ever Seen in Hockey”

By Chris Gordon

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March 16, 2014 7:48 pm

Brouwer celebrates his first goal (Photo: Paul Frederiksen)

Brouwer celebrates his first goal (Photo: Paul Frederiksen)

Coming soon to warmups near you: Ian Oland in spandex. With an empty-net goal against Toronto Sunday, Troy Brouwer netted his 20th goal of the season. Ian had a bet with the Brouwer Rangers that if Troy scored 20 this year, he would go to a game with Nathan and Ryan dressed in a red unitard. Time to buy a fanny pack.

“I’m excited!” Brouwer told me of Ian’s future gear.

Brouwer’s goal was made possible by a kind turn from Nicklas Backstrom. After Brouwer banked the puck off the boards from the defensive zone, Nicky followed the puck towards the net. The Swedish center neglected to touch the puck, allowing Brouwer to hit the milestone.

“That’s the most unselfish thing I’ve ever seen in hockey,” Brouwer said.

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Head coach Adam Oates agreed.

“What a great play,” the coach said. “That’s who he is; isn’t it?”

“That’s a very unselfish thing,” Oates added. “He’s smart enough, he probably knows he didn’t have the assist on it either, so he doesn’t get the point. We all know that too. Just a fantastic thing. That’s who he is.

“It might’ve stopped with our ice,” Oates joked.

Brouwer also added another goal to open scoring in the first period, wristing the puck from his usual diamond position on the power play. Troy has 10 goals in his last 14 games.

Headline photo: Paul Frederiksen

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