When the Capitals signed the unheralded Nic Dowd during the offseason, they hoped the Huntsville, AL native could challenge Travis Boyd for Jay Beagle’s vacant center spot on the fourth line.
Not only did Dowd win the spot, he scored the most astounding goal of Opening Night – a spin-o-rama goal which gave the Capitals a 5-0 lead.
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Coming into Wednesday night’s game, Dowd had only scored nine goals in his 131 game NHL career. Number ten was spectacular.
The play starts and ends with Dowd. After winning a battle and chipping the puck to Devante Smith-Pelly at the point, Dowd drives hard to the net and collects DSP’s blocked shot in the slot.
Dowd then spins, shoots, and scores blindly on his backhand.
What the heck.
I cannot stop watching this goal.
Dowd, like fellow goalscorers on the evening Alex Ovechkin, TJ Oshie, John Carlson, and Lars Eller, is on pace for 82 goals this season.
What a great start to the season.
