Five Golden Goals for the Colorado Avalanche

Classic Peter Forsberg vs. the Detroit Red Wings

Colorado Avalanche great Peter Forsberg scored a classic goal against the Detroit Red Wings. Photo credit: REUTERS/Matt Sullivan

Star forward Peter Forsberg has had plenty of highlight-reel goals in his career. One of the most memorable, of course, was when he was playing for Team Sweden in his first Olympics and scored an audacious shootout goal to win gold. That time he single-handedly beat the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Finals was pretty cool, too.

The 1999 goal against the Detroit Red Wings may not be as memorable as those scores. However, it’s classic Forsberg, a display of all his talent. And it comes against the then-rival Red Wings.

The play starts with a Detroit power play. Forsberg, so aggressive, drove toward the Detroit pointman, Sylvain Lefebvre. Lefebvre tries to pass, but Forsberg takes the puck away. Lefebrve drapes across Forsberg like a malicious cape, but Foppa’s too strong on his skates and the puck. He shakes Lefebvre off.

Shorthanded, he powers toward Detroit goalie Chris Osgood. As Lefebvre jumps on Peter’s back, Foppa wrists the puck past Osgood before following it with his own body thanks to Lefebvre.

Strength, talent, perseverance and the willingness to sacrifice the body — these were all hallmarks of Peter Forsberg’s career, and they’re evident in this goal: