One of the most amazing goals you'll ever see was just scored

[Renew Deal]

By the Anaheim Ducks Bobby Ryan. I'm sure there will be video later. Watch the highlights of the game. It's AMAZING!

[caraher]

1. Great goal, but...

I found it on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btFBv2u8Nfc">YouTube.

My defenseman's bias had always been that hockey is basically a game of mistakes, in that most goals come down to a breakdown by the team giving up the goal. Legwand was terrible on this play...

1. Obviously, the turnover.
2. Losing his stick.
3. What the hell was was he trying to do after he lost the stick? Legwand seemed to be playing neither the puck nor the man; I assume he was trying to do the latter as it's the more natural play one-on-one with no stick, but he took a terrible line on Ryan. Ryan made a good adjustment to make Legwand miss, but it didn't have to be much because Legwand was already on a path for a sort of no-mans'-land between the puck and Ryan. Legwand seemed to be watched the puck too much when he should have zeroed in on Ryan's center of gravity and tried to skate right through it. Failing that, if he really wanted to play the puck he could have gone to the ice and smothered as much of the skating and dekeing room as he could, or as a third option, just try to obstruct for as long as possible by taking a line more back toward the goal rather than going from one side across (which meant Ryan only had to deal with him for a brief moment until Legwand overshot).

You've got to make yourself "big" as a defender on a play like that and Legwand did pretty much the opposite, apart from immediately after he lost his stick when Ryan put it between his skates (I thought Legwand did do a good job there turning his blades to maximize the obstacle to Ryan making the move he did, but Ryan just threaded the needle there).

[Forkboy]

2. That's how I approach it too.

I used yo play goalie and D, so I always see the breakdowns that lead to the goals. Probably not fair to the offensive guys who do make some sweet moves.. :)

Not to say it wasn't a beautiful goal though. Great stick handling, and he finished it for the goal, so it was a great play by Ryan. But that was horrible play on the D. If you have no stick take the damn body.