Michigan goal

Last updated

In ice hockey, a Michigan goal (named by its originator as the high wrap, also known by other names) is a goal scored by an attacker starting behind the opposing net, lifting the puck onto their stick, quickly moving their stick around to a top corner of the net, and flinging the puck into the net at close range in a lacrosse-style shot.

Contents

Creation

Bill Armstrong, a minor-league hockey player, started practicing lacrosse-style shots for fun while playing for the Albany River Rats. Armstrong asked his head coach, Robbie Ftorek, whether he could try such a shot in a game; Ftorek replied, "You do it so easily, why don't you try it?" Armstrong scored four goals with the move, which he called a "high wrap," leading to appreciation from fans and local media. [1]

Mike Legg, a winger for the Michigan Wolverines, learned about the high wrap from Armstrong. Before attempting one, Legg was skeptical about the legality of such a goal. While he was a player for the Wolverines, he would ask the referees during warmups whether such a goal would be legal or would be called high-sticking. After no referees said they would call a penalty, Legg decided to try it in a game. [2]

In a 1996 NCAA Tournament game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers, Legg picked the puck up onto his stick behind the net and wrapped it around into the top corner of the net. Legg was awarded "Goal of the Year" by the Swedish magazine Inside Hockey. [2] The stick he used was donated to the Hockey Hall of Fame. [3]

Name

The shooting technique is known by several different names. Bill Armstrong, the first professional player to score a goal in this way, named it a "high wrap", a variation on the wraparound. In northern Europe, players and fans call the move "Zorro" because of the similarities to a floorball trick where the stick movement makes a Z shape associated with the fictional character of the same name. [4] In the United States, it is called a "Michigan goal" or "The Michigan", named after Mike Legg's alma mater. [5] Canadians typically call it a lacrosse goal. In North Carolina, it is called "The Svech", short for Andrei Svechnikov, the first NHL player to score a goal in this style. [4] Trevor Zegras's lacrosse-style goals and a lacrosse-style assist during the 2021–22 season inspired NHL on TNT studio host Liam McHugh, and many fans on Twitter, to suggest that the move be renamed "The Zegras". [6]

National Hockey League

The first successful Michigan goal attempt in the NHL came from Andrei Svechnikov of the Carolina Hurricanes, scoring against Calgary Flames goaltender David Rittich on October 29, 2019. Svechnikov scored a second such goal against the Winnipeg Jets on December 17, 2019, against future Vezina winning goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. [7] Svechnikov scored a third Michigan goal against Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman on April 9, 2024.

On December 7, 2021, Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks paired up with Sonny Milano to create an alley-oop variant of the Michigan goal. Zegras's maneuver was technically an assist: Zegras lifted the puck on his stick, then passed it to Milano, who was standing just in front of the Buffalo Sabres' goal, and who shot the puck down into the Sabres' net. [8] Zegras scored a Michigan goal by himself against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on January 27, 2022. He scored another Michigan goal against the Arizona Coyotes on April 1, 2022. [6] Zegras's goals landed him on the North American cover of the NHL 23 video game. [9]

In 2022, Swedish forward Filip Forsberg, who has scored a Michigan goal for the Nashville Predators, observed that goaltenders are starting to get better at defending the top corner of the net when an attacker is in the goaltender trapezoid behind the net. [10]

On December 23, 2023, Connor Bedard scored a Michigan goal for the Chicago Blackhawks in a 7-5 loss to the St. Louis Blues. Hours later, Zegras scored a Michigan goal for the Anaheim Ducks en route to a 3-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken. It was the first time in NHL history two players scored a Michigan goal on the same day. [11]

International play

Mikael Granlund scored a Zorro goal for Finland against Russia in the 2011 World Ice Hockey Championships semifinals. [12]

Aaron Huglen scored a Michigan goal for the United States against Canada in the semifinals of the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, an under-18 tournament. [13]

At the 2020 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, Nils Höglander scored a Zorro goal for Sweden in the bronze-medal game against Finland. [14] He previously won two consecutive "goal of the year" awards in the Swedish Hockey League for similar goals.

Kent Johnson, a University of Michigan alumnus, has scored four Michigan goals in his international career, including one for Canada against the Czech Republic in the 2022 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. [15] Johnson scored his first Michigan goal in the NHL on March 24, 2023. [16]

At the 2023 IIHF World Women's U18 Championship, Slovakia's Nela Lopušanová, aged 14 at the time, scored a high wrap goal in a quarterfinal game against Sweden. [17] It was the first such goal scored at a top-level IIHF women's tournament. [18]

Criticism

Some commentators have criticized the Michigan goal as showboating, a form of unsportsmanlike conduct. Filip Forsberg scored one in a blowout win as a 19-year-old, leading to rebuke from his coach and later contrition from Forsberg. [10]

In 2003, 16-year-old Sidney Crosby scored a Michigan goal for Rimouski Oceanic of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League as Rimouski's fifth goal in a 7–1 win against the Quebec Remparts. Don Cherry of Hockey Night in Canada called Crosby a "hot dog" for his flamboyant celebration after scoring goals. "I'm not shaken by his words," Crosby told The Globe and Mail . [19]

After the Zegras–Milano goal, John Tortorella, a panelist on The Point on the NHL on ESPN , opined that the Michigan goal was not good for the game of ice hockey, and lamented that players were now practicing Michigan goals. Arda Ocal, host of The Point, asked Tortorella what he would do if a player he coached scored a Michigan goal; Tortorella said that he would "have a talk" after the game, maintaining that he did not like goals scored in this way. Many fans and media personalities disagreed with Tortorella's opinions. [20] "That’s the kind of mindset that keeps the creativity out of the game," said Bill Armstrong about Tortorella's comments. [10] On his next NHL on ESPN appearance, Tortorella clarified his comments and apologized to Zegras. [21]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ice hockey</span> Team winter sport

Ice hockey is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hockey sticks to control, advance, and shoot a closed, vulcanized, rubber disc called a "puck" into the other team's goal. Each goal is worth one point. The team which scores the most goals is declared the winner. In a formal game, each team has six skaters on the ice at a time, barring any penalties, one of whom is the goaltender. Ice hockey is a full contact sport, and is considered to be one of the more physically demanding team sports. It is distinct from field hockey, in which players move a ball around a non-frozen pitch using field hockey sticks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goal (ice hockey)</span> Point scoring in ice hockey

In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck entirely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to. Typically, a player on the team attempting to score shoots the puck with their stick towards the goal net opening, and a player on the opposing team called a goaltender tries to block the shot to prevent a goal from being scored against their team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goaltender</span> Person who tends the goal in ice hockey

In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player responsible for preventing the hockey puck from entering their team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring. The goaltender mostly plays in or near the area in front of the net called the goal crease. Goaltenders tend to stay at or beyond the top of the crease to cut down on the angle of shots. In the modern age of goaltending there are two common styles, butterfly and hybrid. Because of the power of shots, the goaltender wears special equipment to protect the body from direct impact.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penalty (ice hockey)</span> Punishment for breaking the rules in ice hockey

A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for an infringement of the rules. Most penalties are enforced by sending the offending player to a penalty box for a set number of minutes. During the penalty the player may not participate in play. Penalties are called and enforced by the referee, or in some cases, the linesman. The offending team may not replace the player on the ice, leaving them short-handed as opposed to full strength. When the opposing team is said to be on a power play, they will have one more player on the ice than the short-handed team. The short-handed team is said to be "on the penalty kill" until the penalty expires and the penalized player returns to play. While standards vary somewhat between leagues, most leagues recognize several common varieties of penalties, as well as common infractions.

In ice hockey, a penalty shot is a type of penalty awarded when a team loses a clear scoring opportunity on a breakaway because of a foul committed by an opposing player. A player from the non-offending team is given an attempt to score a goal without opposition from any defending players except the goaltender. This is the same type of shot used in a shootout to decide games in some leagues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shot (ice hockey)</span> Attempt to score a goal in ice hockey

A shot in ice hockey is an attempt by a player to score a goal by striking or snapping the puck with their stick in the direction of the net.

The 2005–06 NHL season was the 89th season of operation of the National Hockey League (NHL). This season succeeded the 2004–05 season which had all of its scheduled games canceled due to a labor dispute with the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) over the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the League and its players. The season featured the first time that all 30 of its member teams played games on the same day, which happened the first day of the season, October 5, 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Hockey League rules</span>

The National Hockey League rules are the rules governing the play of the National Hockey League (NHL), a professional ice hockey organization. Infractions of the rules, such as offside and icing, lead to a stoppage of play and subsequent face-offs, while more serious infractions lead to penalties being assessed to the offending team. The league also determines the specifications for playing equipment used in its games.

William Harold Armstrong is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player.

This is a list of common terms used in the sport of ice hockey along with the definitions of these terms.

Mike Legg is a Canadian former ice hockey player. He is most famous for the Michigan goal, named in honor of one that he scored while playing for the University of Michigan, in a 1996 NCAA Tournament game against the University of Minnesota.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 National Hockey League All-Star Game</span> Professional ice hockey exhibition game

The 2008 National Hockey League All-Star Game was held on January 27, 2008 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, home of the Atlanta Thrashers. It was the only time the All-Star Game was held in Atlanta, as the Thrashers moved to Winnipeg in 2011 as the new Winnipeg Jets.

The National Hockey League All-Star Skills Competition, officially the NHL All-Star Game SuperSkills Competition during certain past years, is an event on the night preceding the National Hockey League All-Star Game. Started at the 41st National Hockey League All-Star Game in Pittsburgh in 1990, the NHL uses the event to showcase the talents of its all-star participants. The All-Star teams select representatives for each event, with points awarded to the winning team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1995–96 Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey season</span>

The 1995–96 Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey team represented the University of Michigan in intercollegiate college ice hockey during the 1995–96 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season. The head coach was Red Berenson and the team captain was Steven Halko. The team played its home games in the Yost Ice Arena on the university campus in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The team finished tied for first in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association regular season, won the CCHA tournament and the 1996 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrei Svechnikov</span> Russian ice hockey player (born 2000)

Andrei Igorevich Svechnikov is a Russian professional ice hockey winger for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Hurricanes selected him second overall in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Stanley Cup Finals</span> 2019 ice hockey championship series

The 2019 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2018–19 season and the culmination of the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Western Conference champion St. Louis Blues defeated the Eastern Conference champion Boston Bruins four games to three in the best-of-seven series. It was the Blues' first championship, in their 51st season of play, ending what was then the third-longest championship drought in league history. The Bruins had home-ice advantage in the series with the better regular season record. The series began on May 27 and concluded on June 12. The Blues' Stanley Cup–winning run of 26 playoff games tied the 2014 Los Angeles Kings for the longest of any Stanley Cup–winning team in history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trevor Zegras</span> American ice hockey player (born 2001)

Trevor John Zegras is an American professional ice hockey center for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Ducks, ninth overall, in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Zegras played college ice hockey at Boston University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 National Hockey League All-Star Game</span> Professional ice hockey exhibition game

The 2023 National Hockey League All-Star Game was held on February 4, 2023, at FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, Florida, the home of the Florida Panthers. For the seventh consecutive All-Star Game, a three-on-three format was used, with teams representing each of the league's four divisions competing in a single-elimination tournament. This was the 67th edition of the game.

<i>NHL 23</i> 2022 video game

NHL 23 is an ice hockey simulation video game developed by EA Vancouver and published by EA Sports. It is the 32nd installment in the NHL video game series and was released for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on October 14, 2022.

References

  1. ↑ Hruby, Patrick (April 8, 2010). "The coolest goal ever scored in hockey". ESPN. Retrieved May 18, 2011.
  2. 1 2 Sachdeva, Sonny (January 3, 2020). "Q&A: Mike Legg on 'The Michigan Goal,' inspiring an offensive phenomenon". Sportsnet. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  3. ↑ "50 years of college hockey". Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Archived from the original on March 10, 2007. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  4. 1 2 Dayal, Harman; Drance, Thomas (March 1, 2021). "The Armies: Opposite Day, the Zorro thing and Vancouver's new starter rises". The Athletic. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  5. ↑ Pell, Samantha (March 3, 2022). "'The Michigan' was born more than two decades ago. It's still the coolest move in hockey". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  6. 1 2 O'Leary, Dan (April 2, 2022). "Zegras scores another Michigan goal, social media calls for a rebrand". National Hockey League. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Andrei Svechnikov scores another lacrosse-style goal". NBC Sports. December 18, 2019.
  8. ↑ Gretz, Adam (December 8, 2021). "Ducks' Zegras, Milano team up for incredible alley-oop goal (Video)". Pro Hockey Talk. NBC Sports. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  9. ↑ Wyshynski, Greg (August 24, 2022). "Trevor Zegras on getting 'The Zegras' into NHL 23, what he's planning next". ABC7 Los Angeles. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  10. 1 2 3 Sears, Ethan (February 27, 2022). "Controversial 'Michigan goal' growing more popular in NHL". New York Post. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  11. ↑ Korac, Louis (December 23, 2023). "Bedard, Zegras get 'Michigan' goals before holiday break". NHL.com. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Ridiculous Hockey Videos: 10 Craziest Goals Ever Scored". Bleacher Report .
  13. ↑ "U.S. prospect scores smooth lacrosse-style goal in Hlinka Gretzky Cup". National Hockey League. August 11, 2018. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  14. ↑ Spiegel, Jackie (January 5, 2020). "Sweden vs. Finland results: Impossible-angle goal clinches bronze for Swedes at 2020 World Juniors". The Sporting News. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  15. ↑ Murphy, Bryan (August 13, 2022). "Who is Kent Johnson? Blue Jackets prospect pulls off Michigan goal for Canada at 2022 World Juniors". The Sporting News. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  16. ↑ Svoboda, Jeff (March 24, 2023). "Can you believe it? Kent Johnson finally scores a 'Michigan' goal". NHL.com. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  17. ↑ "14-year-old Slovakia forward scores Michigan goal at Women's U-18 Worlds". National Hockey League. January 12, 2023. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  18. ↑ Salvian, Hailey. "Get to know 14-year-old Nela Lopušanová: She's setting the hockey world on fire". The Athletic. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  19. ↑ Wharnsby, Tim (December 2, 2003). "Crosby shrugs off Cherry's remarks". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  20. ↑ Williams, Thomas (December 10, 2021). "John Tortorella flaunts predictably prehistoric take on Zegras-Milano goal". Yahoo! Sports Canada. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  21. ↑ "John Tortorella attempts to clarify comments on Trevor Zegras after backlash". Yahoo! News. December 18, 2021. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.