If Ovi is about to break the goal record coming down on an empty net goal, does he score or pass it off

[Green]

He won't want his forever highlight to be a empty net goal or a gimmick 3x3 OT

 

[blundluntman]

But it's not like he can control it even in the next game. If he did pass it (he won't), the next goal could end up being an own goal where he was just the last Cap to touch it, or a scrum where someone gets hurt. Or a lob where the goalie misplays it, or some iffy goal with a review that people will debate forever.

He knows he can't pick. So why pass one up when it could end up being even worse?

That's all true also. I'm just saying I could understand him wanting to do it "the real way" if it's not his last chance or a tight game.

 

[CapsCrazyX17]

The only people who care about empty net goals are angry HFboards posters and Al Iafrate.

 

[Midnight Judges]

There is no need to speculate. This already happened when Ovie passed Gordie Howe.

Ovie tried very hard not to be the goal scorer in that instance but Kuznetsov also refused and so Ovie eventually shot the puck in the net.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Off the top of your head, does anyone know if the goal Gretzky scored to take the lead from Gordie Howe was an empty netter? No. No you don't. That's because it didn't matter either.

old guy here

i watched that game live. afternoon game against the canucks, gordie in the building. kirk mclean was playing way too far out of his crease, marty mcsorley had the puck and made a beautiful gretzky-esque cross-ice pass to gretzky who sniped it into the empty half of the net. they stopped the game for f***ing ever after that to mark the occasion and it felt like a farce.

not even looking this up so the exact details of the play might be off, although obviously i have seen the replay many times in the 30-odd years since.

 

[AvroArrow]

If it's not a 5 on 5 GWG where he goes bar down, it doesn't count - HF

 

[Nogatco Rd]

Pretty sure we already saw this with the goal that tied or broke Howe's record. Empty net situation where he had a path to the goal, forced a pass to kusnetsov instead, kusnetsov passed it right back to him lol. You could tell he was a little embarassed by it

 

[Voight]

He will definitely put the puck into he net. What if the next game he suffers a career ending injury in the opening minute? Can't take the chance.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Well if I were to be considered the best goal scorer in the history of a sport, I sure as hell wouldn't want an empty netter!
He's gonna save that last goal till game 7 of SCF OT!

That won’t help break the record.

 

[SopelFanThe3rd]

What if he has a career ending injury the next game? wouldn't tempt the gods.

 

[Fledgemyhedge]

There is no need to speculate. This already happened when Ovie passed Gordie Howe.

Ovie tried very hard not to be the goal scorer in that instance but Kuznetsov also refused and so Ovie eventually shot the puck in the net.

“One great hill left to climb”

Such a great call

 

[banks]

There is no need to speculate. This already happened when Ovie passed Gordie Howe.

Ovie tried very hard not to be the goal scorer in that instance but Kuznetsov also refused and so Ovie eventually shot the puck in the net.

Bingo.

No teammate would take the pass in this situation. If it's just a case of 2 Caps skating in toward the net, the guy who isn't Ovie would put their hands in the air to refuse a pass. Ovie would take the goal.

 

[Lshap]

Off the top of your head, does anyone know if Gretzky's last goal was an empty netter? No. No you don't. I don't know without looking it up. And neither do you without looking it up. That's because it doesn't matter.

Off the top of your head, does anyone know if the goal Gretzky scored to take the lead from Gordie Howe was an empty netter? No. No you don't. That's because it didn't matter either.

Just like it wouldn't matter if Ovie's record breaking goal is into an empty net.

Let's admit it... this guy ^ makes a very good point.

 

[Warden of the North]

Off the top of your head, does anyone know if Gretzky's last goal was an empty netter? No. No you don't. I don't know without looking it up. And neither do you without looking it up. That's because it doesn't matter.

Off the top of your head, does anyone know if the goal Gretzky scored to take the lead from Gordie Howe was an empty netter? No. No you don't. That's because it didn't matter either.

Just like it wouldn't matter if Ovie's record breaking goal is into an empty net.

End thread.

 

[HabzSauce]

I just hope they don't stop the game. Let the bench celly with Ovi on the ice but save the rest for after the game. LeBron's scoring title game was so cheese lol they stopped the game and everything while Lakers were in a playoff hunt trying to win games.

I have faith NHL will handle this way better. Quick celebration, soak it in and get right back to the game. Then after everyone parties hard

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

There is no need to speculate. This already happened when Ovie passed Gordie Howe.

Ovie tried very hard not to be the goal scorer in that instance but Kuznetsov also refused and so Ovie eventually shot the puck in the net.

Doesn’t look to me like he “tried very hard not to be the goal scorer.” There was way more traffic between him and the net than Kuzy so he made the smart play to pass it, assuming Kuzy would just easily bury it. Then Kuzy inexplicably passed it back when he had an open net and Ovi had to adjust and take a shot himself as no one else was in a better position than him at that point.

 

[Albatros]

Off the top of your head, does anyone know if the goal Gretzky scored to take the lead from Gordie Howe was an empty netter? No. No you don't. That's because it didn't matter either.

Huh? I think many of us old enough remember that goal very well. Whether it mattered or not, it was a famous goal.

 

[banks]

Huh? I think many of us old enough remember that goal very well. Whether it mattered or not, it was a famous goal.

I'm old enough to have seen it. And I don't remember. One other poster did, and apparently you do. So maybe I was a bit over the top. But the point stands. No one would suggest anything negative about Gretz's record if it had been an empty netter.

 

[Midnight Judges]

“One great hill left to climb”

Such a great call

Joe Beninati is the best in the biz. He always has the right call for the biggest moments.

I just hope they don't stop the game.

You're going to be disappointed.

 

[BallardEra]

I just hope they don't stop the game. Let the bench celly with Ovi on the ice but save the rest for after the game. LeBron's scoring title game was so cheese lol they stopped the game and everything while Lakers were in a playoff hunt trying to win games.

I have faith NHL will handle this way better. Quick celebration, soak it in and get right back to the game. Then after everyone parties hard

I think you'll be disappointed. Gretzky and Bettman will be in the building so this will take some time for sure.

 

[Nogatco Rd]

“One great hill left to climb”

Such a great call

Much better than when he tied Howe (or maybe Jagr?) .. it was on ESPN and they were doing some terrible schtick in the opening minute of the game where they zoomed out of the game so they could splitscreen a clip of some jibroni from spittin chicklets reading the starting lineup in the other teams dressing room.. Ovi scores like 20 secs in during that segment, very anticlimactic

 

[Fledgemyhedge]

Much better than when he tied Howe (or maybe Jagr?) .. it was on ESPN and they were doing some terrible schtick in the opening minute of the game where they zoomed out of the game so they could splitscreen a clip of some jibroni from spittin chicklets reading the starting lineup in the other teams dressing room.. Ovi scores like 20 secs in during that segment, very anticlimactic

when he actually breaks the record it better be done right

 

[MVP of West Hollywd]

I think if it's important to getting the win he should do it. If they're up 2 with 40 seconds left maybe secretly avoid it.

 

[vippe]

Ovechkin just went through his biggest injury of his career - nothing is for certain, he knows that. Even russian machines can break when one least expects it.

If he gets a shot to break the record with an ENG - he's going to break the record with an empty netter.

Please HF, stop being so obsessed with empty net goals.

 

[Gerulaitis]

This is how I'd visualize the goal:

Instead of shooting at an empty net, Ovechkin is gonna skate all the way back into his own zone.

And then he’s just gonna waltz through a couple of defencemen, hit one of them like he did Subban, and then Ovie skates to the opposition net, stops the puck right on the line, sits down on the ice, faces the crowd and then pushes the puck into the goal with his backside

The greatest moment in the history of sport.