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| Image credit: Canucks YouTube |
Besides a point in the standings, if tonight's 4-3 meltdown against the Sens was worth anything, it was bearing witness to Radim Vrbata's outrageous behind-the-net tuck-in on Craig Anderson to open the scoring.
When you're a team whose two offensive stars are playmakers, the highlight reel goals you're used to seeing are typically some sort of tic-tac-toe, no-look-pass wizardry. Enter about every other goal that both Sedins are in on.
Then a natural goal-scorer like Vrbata comes along and for the first time in a long time, you see an individual effort with enough filth to make all the Miley Cyruses among us blush. Yes, Old 17 was also good for the odd solo effort, but his eventual insistence on doing it alone every single rush was so infuriating that the wonder was lost when it actually worked.
After the game, Vrbata told reporters it wasn't the first time he had used that move before.
#Canucks Vrbata on radio: 'I've scored a couple of goals like that before. It's a good move.'
— Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) December 8, 2014
At the beginning of the season, we scoured the depths of YouTube and NHL.com for the best of Vrbata's career goals to be unearthed. That said, watch Vrbata's goal from tonight below, followed by him pulling off the exact same move three years ago in 2011-12. Bonus points for embarrassing Corey Crawford in the process.
(The following is a top ten video -- hitting play should automatically start with the goal in question. If not, it's at 3:20.)
A bit different the first time around against Chicago. Vrbata takes advantage of the Hawks' defence scrambling in their zone, as opposed to connecting on the rush against Ottawa. But it's dripping with every bit as much skill.
Paired alongside his reverse, no-look pass to Henrik a few games ago against Columbus, it's clearly no fluke that he's on pace for a career-high 70 points this season. It would also be the first time a Canuck besides the Sedins scored that much since Kesler's 73 points in 2010-11. So there's that.
By the way, the Canucks also just lost their second straight game and were absolutely dominated in the second half.
That deke, doe.
-HC
Follow @BuresTripleDeke
Radim Vbata: Top 10 Career Goals
The Canucks Top 5 Goals of November
Bure's Triple Deke on YouTube
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