Jonas Siegenthaler scored his first NHL goal on Saturday, on the one-year anniversary of his debut in the league.
Tom Wilson celebrated the defenseman’s milestone achievement the way he always does: a towel full of shaving cream straight to the face.
By Elizabeth Kong 12 months ago
Tyler Lewington and Madison Bowey had a night they’ll never forget Saturday in Ottawa.
Both defensemen scored their first NHL goals against the Senators. Lewington even had the Capitals’ first Gordie Howe Hat Trick — a goal, an assist, and a fight in the same game — in seven years.
After the Caps’ held on to win 3-2, the two happy players did interviews with the media in the locker room. And that’s when Tom Wilson, wanting to keep his new young teammates humble, struck.
Friday night, Jakub Vrana scored his first NHL goal after a beautiful setup by Evgeny Kuznetsov. In years past, Alex Ovechkin has pied the rookies during their postgame interviews to both celebrate and keep them humble.
With Ovechkin busy, fellow one-goal-scorer-on-the-season Tom Wilson decided to keep the tradition going, pummeling Vrana in the side of the face with a towel full of Gillette shaving cream.
Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov played the best game of his young career against the Edmonton Oilers on Friday night. Kuzy tallied three goals–his first NHL hat trick–and two assists in the Caps’ 7-4 win. The five points were a career high (in the NHL).
The young Russian’s trio of goals covered all the bases. There was a beautiful tic-tac-toe with linemates TJ Oshie and Alexander Ovechkin, a breakaway off a perfect feed from John Carlson (and a pretty bad play at center ice by Oilers defenseman J. Schultz (no, not that one), and a power-play snipe to close out the third period.
After practice this morning, Tom Wilson interviewed roommate Michael Latta for a video on ESPN.com. However, Wilson’s interviewing skills — though it was a fascinating conversation — aren’t why I’m writing today. This is a post because Caps’ back-up goaltender Justin Peters pied Wilson in the face.
“Is that for the deke?” Wilson says to Peters out of frame, while wiping his eyes. “I put his jockstrap in the stands out there and now he’s coming at me.”
Photo: Chris Gordon
After scoring his first NHL point on Thursday, Julien Brouillette followed that up with first NHL goal Saturday, the game-winner. In the locker room, Brouillette took photos with the milestone puck and then got pied. Because that’s what the Caps do.
Tonight, rookie Tom Wilson did the honors.
Schmidt happily poses with his milestone puck. (Photo credit: Chris Gordon)
It took 25 games but, you guys, it finally happened: Washington Capitals defenseman Nate Schmidt scored his first NHL goal. It took the Minnesota-native 7 games to get his first NHL point and another 18 to record hit the back of the net.
It was a beauty.
GIF by Ian Oland
Big night for 19-year-old Illinoisan Connor Carrick. Playing in just his second NHL game, Carrick scored his first goal in the big league, a nifty breakaway tally on Calgary goalie Karri Ramo. Carrick’s goal started a big comeback for the Caps, who barely eked out a win in their home opener. For his achievement, Carrick received a commemorative puck and a shaving-cream pie to his dome courtesy of his captain, Alex Ovechkin.
Congratulations, Connor.
Screengrab via @recordsANDradio
Alex Ovechkin has been suspended for three games, but that didn’t stop him from getting in on the fun of the Capitals’ 5-3 win over offensive juggernauts, the Boston Bruins. Ovechkin congratulated Mathieu Perreault‘s on his first career hat trick by surprising him with a shaving-cream pie to the face during the post-game interview with Al Koken. Typical Ovi.
Video under the jump.
Erskine and Semin congratulate the ginger after his milestone goal. (Photo credit: Gregg Forwerck)
Here's video of Eakin's milestone marker made possible by a sweet Alex Semin cross-ice pass.
When I was twenty, I was a college senior. A few months from getting my Visual Arts degree from UMBC, I had a 1998 Toyota Camry, and I got paid $7.50 an hour to work for the school’s newspaper.
At twenty-years-old Cody Eakin is in the NHL. He plays on the league’s best team. With his entry-level contract, he makes almost $1 million a year. And tonight, November 4th, 2011, he notched his first NHL point and his first NHL goal against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Someone should knock him down a peg.
Alex Ovechkin, immediately after tonight’s 5-1 victory, did exactly that.
