Nicklas Backstrom took part in the ‘Black and White’ annual game on Thursday with his former club Brynas IF. He and Capitals teammate Christian Djoos put up a valiant effort for Team Black, who lost by a score of 7-5. Backstrom certainly did his part, scoring on a penalty shot which tied up the game at 4-4.

After scoring, he celebrated like we’ve never seen him celebrate before.

Backstrom’s penalty shot was clean. There’s no information as of yet on whose foul against him justified the penalty shot, although that player is, of course, now our enemy.

After scoring, Backstrom sheathed his hockey stick like the weapon it is when it’s in his hands, and high-fived Team Black’s bench with gusto.

Speaking of Backstrom going one-on-one against a goalie: remember that time he scored in the shootout of the 2017 IIHF gold medal game, helping clinch victory for Sweden? Good times, fam.

Other NHLers present included Djoos, goaltender Jacob Markstrom, and forwards Oskar Lindblom, Calle Jarnkrok and Jakob Silfverberg. All the players signed autographs before the game.

Amongst the players at the autograph table were some new faces. This is the first year that women also competed, with four players from Brynas’s women’s team joining in: Olympic bronze medalist Lara Stalder, defender Maja Nylen Persson, and forwards Erika Grahm and Canadian Michela Cava, formerly of the CWHL’s Toronto Furies, who signed with Brynas IF this summer.

The four were introduced to the crown before the game to great applause.

Many of Sweden’s top female athletes are currently participating in a boycott before an upcoming international tournament in Finland. This is reminiscent of the US women’s hockey team strike in 2017, the US women’s soccer team’s ongoing gender discrimination lawsuit, and the high-profile female hockey players who have refused to participate in the National Women’s Hockey League 2019-20 season after the confusion and dissolution of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League folding unexpectedly.

Erika Grahm posted a statement about the events to her Instagram.

Despite Grahm playing on Backstrom’s wing for Team Black, Team White won by a score of 7-5, closing it out with an empty netter.

Of course, we all know who the real winner is: everyone who gets to see Nicklas Backstrom celly with this flair like he just don’t care.

Headline image: @brynas__if