Richard Panik just had his prettiest play as a Capital.
The third-line right-wing went through-the-legs to find Carl Hagelin for the game-tying goal.
The third-period forced overtime against the world-beating Blue Jackets.
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After Panik dumped the puck into the zone, a hustling Carl Hagelin and Panik swarmed the Blue Jackets and forced a turnover. Kuznetsov picked up the loose biscuit and sent a pass to Panik posted up in the crease. The Czech winger, aware that Hags was wide open on the other side of the crease, got fancy to set his line-mate up for the goal.
Hagelin hit the post on his initial shot but scored on the rebound.
Richard Panik with a ridiculous assist. Panik put the puck through his legs to Carl Hagelin who was wide open near the crease. pic.twitter.com/GekbxJygB5
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) December 28, 2019
“It was a great pass,” Hagelin said after the game. “He’s been on my side the whole time. He’s been trying to find me out there and I’ve just missed some good looks. But today it went in.”
The assist was only Panik’s fifth point in 29 games since joining the team on a four-year deal over the summer.
Full RMNB Coverage of Caps vs Blue Jackets
Headline photo: NBC Sports Washington
