Evgeny Kuznetsov scored an empty-net goal that is raising some eyebrows across the hockey world.
Playing in his fourth game since returning from a concussion that kept him out a month and a half, the former Capitals foward scored twice in SKA Saint Petersburg’s 5-3 victory over Severstal Cherepovets on Monday, marking his first points since December 21 and his first goals since November 30 against Amur.
But it was Kuzy’s tally with 27 seconds remaining in the game that may have broken an unwritten hockey rule for showing up his opponent.
With the score 4-3 and Severstal’s goaltender pulled for an extra attacker, SKA’s Mikhail Grigorenko captured a loose puck along the side boards and unselfishly dished the puck to his high-flying teammate. The 2018 Stanley Cup champion then wound up and fired the puck into the empty net from just outside the crease.
Kuzy’s slap shot empty-net goal was reminiscent of Ridly Greig’s in the NHL last season that resulted in Morgan Rielly being suspended five games for cross-checking the Senators’ forward in the face in retaliation.
Severstal, however, had no reaction to Kuznetsov’s clapper as he grinned with his teammates in the goal hug. And then when the Russian centerman got his hands on his phone later, he posted a screenshot of the play to his Instagram Story further making his point.
The reason why Kuznetsov went with the supposedly disrespectful clapper is currently unclear — he did not speak to the media afterward and his head coach Roman Rotenburg did not address the goal postgame. Rotenburg did however say that “this was our best game — maybe even this season,” per Match TV and a Google translation.
In a column after the game, Sports.ru mused on a few reasons why Kuznetsov may have been sending a message. Severstal fans chanted “SKA is the shame of Russian hockey” during the third period. A similar chant by Spartak fans last week resulted in a 100 thousand rubles fine from the KHL for “insulting chanting against the opposing team.”
Kuznetsov also nearly got in an altercation with Spartak goalkeeper Konstantin Shostak, who per Sports.ru, “didn’t like the goalkeeper’s words” after his first goal of the game — a deflection on the power play late in the second period.
Kuznetsov stood and looked down at the goaltender after scoring.
Other reasons cited include a possible schism between Kuznetsov has with his head coach. The natural centerman was moved to the right wing for the game, though he received ample ice time (17:41) in the match and still played up the middle off and on, winning four for eight faceoffs.
Время летит стремительно – остался всего час до начала матча ⏰ А пока ждем, изучаем состав и готовимся поддерживать команду!
Вперед, наш СКА! pic.twitter.com/jvH6m3q0PH
— Хоккейный клуб СКА (@hcSKA) February 17, 2025
Kuznetsov also recently took an undisciplined holding penalty while SKA was playing six-on-four and trying to come back in a 3-1 loss to Dynamo. In another recent loss, a 4-3 failing to Neftekhimik, Rotenburg appeared to call out Kuznetsov without uttering his name.
“There are guys who have never played here,” Rotenburg said. “For a long time. Maybe they haven’t played here for ten years. I don’t want to name names. We are a team – we don’t look for the guilty. They probably didn’t expect such selfless play from the Neftekhimik players.”
Whatever the motive, Kuznetsov made his voice heard loudly without even uttering a word.
