Mike Richards scored his first goal as a Washington Capital on Monday night, but the goal did not come without drama. Goalie Louis Domingue believed he had covered Tom Wilson’s initial shot and waited for a whistle. Instead, the puck was jammed free by Wilson, and Richards potted the rebound. The Coyotes would challenge the ruling on the ice.
While Richards celebrated, Oliver Ekman-Larsson looked for some frontier justice by trying to start a scrum with Wilson along the corner. Wilson had a different idea, putting a new twist on the classic celebratory hockey hug by embracing his foe.
Everything about the scene is great.
Domingue starts cutting a promo on the ref. The ref and Coyotes winger Brad Richardson watch the prom dance begin, their body language screaming, “We want to go to there.”
Meanwhile, Richards is celebrating his first goal in a Capitals sweater — and his first NHL goal since January 3, 2015 — all alone, smacking himself in the face as if to say, “Am I dreaming?”
It wasn’t a dream, Mike. It was just a perfect moment in time, captured in one beautiful screen shot.
Thanks to @1bscarbo for the tip.
