1 THE GOAL Lighting the lamp Putting the biscuit in the basket Whatever you call it scoring a goal is what hockey is all about Some of the most famous players were great goal scorers They brought fans to their feet time and again The top goal scorers have a few things in common They know where to be on the ice to get a good shot They also anticipate puck movement That means they know where the puck is and where it’s probably going next The Boston Bruins celebrate lighting the lamp after scoring a goal 4 4
There are a few different types of shots A slap shot is a big powerful shot It can travel more than 100 miles per hour 161 km h A player winds up for a slap shot bringing the stick blade well overhead But it’s more difficult to direct a slap shot to a specific spot A wrist shot or wrister is much more accurate The player puts the stick blade on the puck and quickly thrusts it forward It’s easier to pick out a target with a wrister DO OR DIE Through 2016 only two Stanley Cup Finals series have come down to overtime in Game 7 Pete Babando’s goal lifted the Detroit Red Wings past the New York Rangers in 1950 Tony Leswick did the same for Detroit against the Montreal Canadiens four years later Nobody scored more goals in National Hockey League NHL history than Wayne Gretzky He earned the nickname The Great One Gretzky played in the NHL from 1979 through 1999 His career numbers were astounding He set NHL records with 894 career goals and 92 goals in a single season 1981 82 Gretzky made such Brent Burns of the San Jose Sharks prepares to fire a wrist shot 7
