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Evgeny Kuznetsov scores hat trick against Canucks via three grimey goals near the goal line

By Ian Oland

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March 12, 2022 1:30 am

Evgeny Kuznetsov earned the nickname The Birdman for how he takes flight and celebrates after breathtaking goals. But now we might need to change it to The Trashman after his hat trick against the Canucks.

The Russian centerman scored three grimey goals that the stat sheet says were a combined 24 feet away from the net. And no, he didn’t accidentally pass them all over the goal line. He played the role of power forward!

Kuznetsov got the Capitals on the board twice in the first period with goals 43 seconds apart. 5:35 into the game, Kuznetsov scored after Nick Jensen tried to rim the puck around the boards. Instead, the biscuit hit a stanchion along the glass and bounced right in front the net where it deflected off Kuzy’s chest and passed a surprised Thatcher Demko.

Kuzy struck again on his very next shift. During a Capitals powerplay, an Ovi shot from the Ovi spot sneaked through Demko. As it was rolling across the goal line, Kuznetsov slammed it home just to make sure. The goal would have been Ovi’s 767th career goal, passing Jaromir Jagr for third place on the all-time goals list.

Finally, Kuznetsov found pay dirt in the third period, once again benefitting from the chaos of an Ovi one-timer. The puck eventually bounced off Kuzy’s crease to the post where he tucked it in with his stick.

Several Caps fans threw their hats on the ice in celebration.

The hatty was Kuznetsov’s second of his career. He previously scored one on October 23, 2015 against the Edmonton Oilers.

With his three-point night, Kuznetsov is now back on a point-per-game pace.

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