Top 3 Evgeny Kuznetsov goals with Capitals
Looing back at the best of Evgeny Kuznetsov with the Caps
Before we breakdown the one week aftermath of the infamous Washington Capitals trade of Evgeny Kuznetsov exactly one week before Kuzy comes to DC with the Carolina Hurricanes, let's take a trip down memory lane and relive the top 3 Kuzy goals we've enjoyed.
#3 Snipe like goal against the Maple Leafs in Oct. 2018
Fresh off winning the Stanley Cup, more on that later, Kuznetsov dazzled us with this. What makes the Kuznetsov shot one of the most lethal in the NHL is the way he cradles the puck and unleashes a shot from a sharp angle.
This one was straight down the line and we still can't figure out the stick work he's like a magician.
The date was Oct. 13, 2018, a Saturday night in crisp autumn weather. Chandler Stephenson got things started and Kuznetsov had the primary assist there. After Kasperi Kapanen tied it, Kuznetsov scored that sharp angle shot on the power play. That gave the Caps the lead before the Maple Leafs did Maple Leaf things and take over.
Par Lindholm tied it back up. In the third they took the lead with a PPG from Josh Leivo before Auston Matthews put it away.
#2 Game 7 of 2015 against the New York Islanders
This was the first time we saw Kuznetsov come through in the clutch. The Washington Capitals and New York Islanders met in an intense first round playoff series in 2015. The Caps would prevail in seven games thanks to a game winning goal in the third period from Kuznetsov.
It sent the then called Verizon Center crowd into a frenzy and there were nerves prior to the game after the Caps dropped the previous game on the road. This was one of those shots that stunned a playoff villain in Jaroslav Halak which made this playoff series win all the more sweeter.
Look at how he just glides in front of the net and does it in front of Halak with such ease. I know Kuznetsov was drafted in 2010 but if only there was a way for him to get called up that early back then.
That postseason saw Kuznetsov score five goals and add two assists for seven points in 14 games. The Caps would fall in the second round to that other New York team.
#1 You already know
During the spring of 2018, Kuznetsov had 12 goals along with 20 assists for 32 points. It was worthy of second in Conn Smythe voting or first if Alex Ovechkin didn't win. And a big reason why was the way Kuznetsov stepped up when the Caps needed him to most.
The date way May 7, 2018 and the Caps needed to beat the Penguins on the road to get past the dreaded second round. It went to overtime and a Sidney Crosby puck turnover found the stick of Ovechkin.
Ovechkin then found a streaking Kuznetsov and fed him the perfect pass for the breakaway finish.
This was a historic goal. Many Caps fans I've talked to are sad to see Kuznetsov go and will forever be grateful to him for this very goal. This bridged the gap between the older generation who saw 1998 to the younger generation getting their first taste of the DC Sports big four glory.
That Stanley Cup won exactly one month later doesn't happen without that overtime goal in enemy territory. The Penguins were looking for a three peat so it was only poetic the Caps finally broke through against a team that gave them almost annual heartbreak.
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