It was only a matter of time.
Kent Johnson had gotten close to pulling off a lacrosse-style goal for the Blue Jackets twice before, but the rookie pulled it off Friday in a 5-4 overtime victory over the New York Islanders . The former Michigan Wolverines forward completed a "Michigan goal" 27 years to the day that Mike Legg first did it March 24, 1996 for Michigan during an NCAA playoff game.
"That's funny how that stuff works," Johnson said. "It feels a lot better, for sure (to finish one). It's always nice to score, but especially that."
It was Johnson's 15thgoal and 37th point, snapping a 2-2 tie that put the Blue Jackets in front with 2:54 left in the second period. It also caused his teammates to react in disbelief.
"If they panned the bench, everybody's reaction, it was very unique from everybody," coach Brad Larsen said. "I had some guys who were holding their head. I mean, it's a heck of a goal. It really is. That's impressive to do that."
The play Johnson made leading up to goal made it more remarkable.
After stealing the puck from Brock Nelson with a stick-lift, he saw an open lane to the back of the net. Putting the puck between his legs for a toe-drag, he got around Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov to the outside and put himself in perfect position for a lacrosse attempt.
"I was kind of looking for a shooting lane and I didn't have it there, so I put it between my legs," Johnson said. "Then, once I was skating around the net, I kind of knew (it was possible)."
Johnson flipped the puck onto his stick in a blink, continued skating around the back of goalie Ilya Sorokin 's net and shoveled it inside the top left corner before an attempted slash at it by defenseman Ryan Pulock — who stared at the Blue Jackets' rookie afterward.
"It's the right call there," Larsen said. "To me, he's found a really good balance with his skill set. He's tried it before in games and has been close. It's not to be 'showy.' If he tries the wraparound on his backhand? Sorokin's there. He just bumps it out. The fact that he can do that at full speed? It's an incredible goal. It really was. It was an amazing goal."
Johnson tilted his head back as if to say, "finally!" and the celebration began.
Teammates on the bench grabbed their faces. Johnny Gaudreau put a hand to his mouth as if he'd just witnessed a bank heist. The goal quickly went viral on social media, especially with the historical significance tied to Legg's goal 27 years earlier.
"We were pretty shocked," said captain Boone Jenner , whose 25th goal of the season won it for the Blue Jackets in overtime . "We know he's capable of it, so we weren't too surprised. But the way he pulled it off, obviously so smoothly ... and it's a big goal for us at the time. It's a heck of a play by him."
Oddly enough, Johnson never pulled the trick shot off during two seasons for Michigan (2021-22).
He's done it now at the junior level with the Trail Smoke Eaters of the British Columbia Hockey League, for Canada during last summer's world juniors — where he also scored the "golden" goal to clinch a gold medal — and in the NHL for the Blue Jackets.
"Had a couple in the B.C. and then world juniors, but never at Michigan," Johnson said. "I'm pretty (mad) about that, but whatever. The world junior one was pretty big, too, but this is good."
Hunter McKown couldn't have scripted this week any better.
He probably could've done without the "rookie" fall during practice Thursday in Columbus, but everything else went smoothly. After playing his final game for Colorado College last Saturday, the junior center picked the Blue Jackets over multiple suitors as a college free agent and signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Monday.
McKown made his NHL debut Friday and notched his first career point with an assist on Eric Robinson's goal in the second. That was fitting since Robinson joined the Blue Jackets as a free agent out of Princeton in 2018, turning down multiple NHL contract offers.
McKown also centered the fourth line, went 7 of 9 on faceoffs (78%) and skated the traditional solo rookie lap before the Blue Jackets started pregame warmup. McKown didn't look out of place and did all of it in front of his parents, Ali and Ric, who watched his debut in person at Nationwide Arena.
McKown played 11:53, including 1:35 on power plays, and received more ice time than expected after forward Mathieu Olivier left in the first period with a lower-body injury cause by blocking a shot.
"I thought he did a pretty good job," Larsen said. "He was good in the faceoff circle, too, if you look at that stat. He did a real good job. He looked a little nervous at times, but in the same sense, I thought he looked very poised at other times and did a real good job of settling in. I'm happy for him."
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Kent Johnson scores lacrosse goal for Columbus Blue Jackets
