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Garnet Hathaway celebrates bardown goal on Jeremy Swayman with ‘home run’ call from back

By Ian Oland

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February 11, 2023 7:07 pm

Garnet Hathaway scored the game-winning goal in the Washington Capitals’ huge 2-1 victory over the first-place Boston Bruins.

Hathaway tallied in the second period, intercepting an errant Bruins’ clear at the blue line and beating Jeremy Swayman with a shot off the crossbar and in.

But it wasn’t Hathaway’s goal that got the most attention. It was his ridiculous goal celebration while laying on the ice.

Hathaway was trucked by Bruins defenseman Connor Clifton just after he released the shot. Laying flat on the ice, Hathaway raised his arm and did what an umpire does to rule a home run in baseball, twirling his finger in a circular motion. A Bruins player then appeared to shoot the puck at Hathaway’s head as he celebrated

“I thought he was maybe concussed from the late hit,” ESPN analyst Chris Chelios said later.

“I thought he was doing snowmen and enjoying the moment for himself,” Mark Messier added.

Hathaway was not concussed, but he did appear to be enjoying himself. Though he wouldn’t admit it on camera.

“I hope it went in because otherwise it’d be pretty embarrassing,” Hathaway said when asked what he was doing by ESPN’s Emily Kaplan. “I saw it go in and I heard it too so it’s nice to get up and celly with the guys.”

Hathaway’s play along with Lars Eller and Anthony Mantha was a big reason why the Capitals won. Matched up frequently against Boston’s top lines, the trio finished with a team-high 5v5 shot attempts percentage of 64.3 (9 to 5) and expected goals percentage 73.2 despite starting in the Capitals’ defensive zone the most (6).

Overall in the game, Hathaway had three shots and two shot blocks. The game-winner was Hath’s first of the season and the 11th of his career. The pending unrestricted free agent has nine goals on the year.

“It’s tough coming off the break [playing] these guys,” Hathaway said. “They’re a really good team. They play great at home.”

The loss was only the Bruins’ second at home in regulation this season.

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