‘I’ve only seen videos of it happen:’ Rare own goal highlights Coyotes win vs. Penguins
Jan 23, 2024, 11:16 AM
Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins reacts after Lawson Crouse (not pictured) of the Arizona Coyotes scored a goal during the third period of the NHL game at Mullett Arena on January 22, 2024 in Tempe, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Penguins 5-2. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
About two minutes into the third period in the Coyotes’ 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, Arizona’s Lawson Crouse took a puck off the head.
Three minutes later, Pittsburgh center Evgeni Malkin mishandled a pass from defenseman Kris Letang after goalkeeper Tristan Jarry left the net during a delayed penalty. That fateful miscue resulted in the puck going into Pittsburgh’s own net.
Crouse was credited with the goal.
Ooops! 🤭 https://t.co/XLqUTW1vHr pic.twitter.com/IaMVrfjJPd
— Arizona Coyotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) January 23, 2024
“I’ve only seen videos of it happen,” Coyotes defenseman Juuso Valimaki told reporters. “I have never seen it in a game; that was wild for sure.”
Valimaki scored the Coyotes’ second goal midway through the second period on a backdoor feed from forward Clayton Keller. It was his first goal of the season. He was inserted back into the lineup after not seeing action on the ice since Jan. 7.
Coyotes winger Jason Zucker, who had a goal and an assist on the night, doesn’t think he has seen a goal like Pittsburgh’s miscue on the ice ever in his career either. He was just content to see his teammate Crouse get the goal.
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“I think he took the puck off his head, and about three minutes later, he ended up with a goal, so good for him,” Zucker told reporters.
Zucker played for the Penguins for four seasons before joining the Coyotes this season and got his first win over his former team on Monday.
Like his players, head coach Andre Tourigny has only seen that type of goal on television. In fact, he still hasn’t seen it happen live.
“I know it has happened before. Actually, I didn’t even see that one when it happened,” Tourigny said told reporters. “All I saw was the result, and I’ll probably watch it again on video.”
A fan on X jokingly called it the best goal that the Coyotes have scored this season.
Best coyotes goal of the season
— Yotes Legend Jakob Chychrun (@YotesAreElite) January 23, 2024
They don’t ask how, they ask how many. But in this case the how is pretty damn funny 🤣
— Jared LeMay (@JaredTLeMay1) January 23, 2024
— 🐧Cody🗝(😲)(🐧21-16-6🏒) (@Cody_TDM) January 23, 2024
To add insult to injury, the Coyotes also ended their six-year losing streak against Pittsburgh that started in 2017.
If there was a goal to encapsulate the loss for the Penguins, it was that one.
