Jakob Chychrun almost scored an incredible highlight-reel goal against the Calgary Flames.
Chychrun tried to score a Michigan but failed.
With 16:55 remaining in regulation and the Capitals and Flames tied 1-1, the 27-year-old defenseman took a pass from Dylan Strome deep in Calgary’s zone and picked the puck up on his blade as he wrapped around the net.
Chychrun lifted the puck toward the top left corner of the cage but was ultimately stopped by Flames goaltender Devin Cooley. The 28-year-old backstop squeezed his entire 6-foot-5 frame into the top portion of his net to avoid getting embarrassed by the Capitals’ top offensive blueliner.
“I kinda saw the goalie look behind and see that he was going to pick up the puck,” Tom Wilson said postgame. “So, he kinda was over on it. Pretty smooth by Chychy. It’s one of those things, where if you’re gonna try it, you better score, right?”
No one in the NHL has scored a Michigan since Connor Bedard and Trevor Zegras scored two on the same night during the 2023-24 season. An NHL defender has never achieved the feat.
“We’ve never even seen him try that,” head coach Spencer Carbery said. “Usually when guys have pulled that off, they’ve either done it in their career earlier, which I haven’t seen him do it on any film that I’ve seen, or they work on it, and they do it in practice every once in a while. I’ve never seen him even try to attempt it in the two years I’ve been around him in practice. So, that was a new one in his golf bag.”
Chychrun didn’t get on the scoresheet in the Capitals’ 3-1 win over the Flames, which snapped a four-game losing streak. He skated 19:09 of ice time, firing two shots on goal, drawing a penalty, throwing one hit, and blocking two shots.
Late in the third period, Chychrun was caught from the blindside by a hit from Flames forward Nazem Kadri. He remained on the Capitals’ bench but did not take another shift for the final 6:13 in regulation.
Carbery seemed unconcerned with his status postgame. “Maybe a little whiplash with the contact from behind,” he said.
Chychrun has 36 points (18g, 18a) in 50 games for the Capitals this season. He is averaging 23:20 of ice time per game, which ranks first on the team.
