Five Golden Goals for the Colorado Avalanche

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Matt Duchene‘s “The Dutchy” Goal

“The Dutchy” is named after Matt Duchene’s between-the-legs goal. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

There may be plenty of elite goal scorers in the NHL, but not all of them get a goal named after them. On November 15, 2011, Matt Duchene invented The Dutchy.

The Dutchy is not really a Duchene invention — it’s just that he makes it look so good. He receives a pass from Paul Stastny just behind his own left skate. So, he executes a tight twist with his torso, drags his toe and pops the puck between his own legs. Duchene then receives his own pass near his right skate. With the puck now in a more favorable position, he backhands it past Pittsburgh goalie Marc-Andre Fleury.

My favorite part is the look of indignation Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang displays, as if he can’t believe a player can be capable of such a play. (Maybe Sid Crosby doesn’t have a goal named after him.)

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:

Nathan MacKinnon‘s Playoff Goal

Apr 19, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) reacts to his goal against the Minnesota Wild in the first period during game two of the first round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

19-year-old Nathan MacKinnon is only in his second year in the NHL. Despite that, he’s already amassed a few highlight-worthy goals. This golden goal is particularly special because it came in the much-lauded playoffs last season against the Minnesota Wild.

Game 2 in Pepsi Center, first playoff appearance in four years and, of course, the first ever for then-rookie Nate MacKinnon. The game was already special.

Center Paul Stastny picked up the puck behind the Avalanche’s net. He passed it to Nate. Nate scooped up the puck at his own blue line, edged past a Minnesota player and turned on the rockets in his skates. He flew up the ice.

Minnesota defenseman Jared Spurgeon tried to stop him, but MacKinnon’s speed was too great. He broke Spurgeon’s ankles on the way to wristing the puck past goalie Ilya Brzgalov. Not only was it a highlight-reel playoff goal, it tied the game for the Colorado Avalanche.

The ankle-breaking goal was also Nate MacKinnon’s first-ever playoff goal:

Joe Sakic‘s 600th Career Goal

Colorado Avalanche great Joe Sakic has 624 career goals, all with the Avs. (Photo by Noah Graham/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Joe Sakic

On November 19, 2009, Avalanche great Joe Sakic scored a hard-working goal against the Calgary Flames. It was one of those in which the Colorado Avalanche drove the net. They kept the puck in the zone, and they just kept shooting toward the net. (It’s not like head coach Patrick Roy is making this tactic up.)

Now, to be fair to the Flames, they had pulled their goalie. However, Calgary just couldn’t get the puck out of the zone because the Avalanche were dogged despite being up by one.

Once Sakic finally buries the puck in the net, shooting it past three Calgary defenders to do so, the goal itself maybe doesn’t seem worthy for the highlight reel. However, Sakic had reached a rare milestone with that goal — it was his 600th. Only 18 players in the history of the NHL have reached the 600-goal mark — Sakic actually scored a total of 625 in his career.

Sakic’s history-making goal:

Alex Tanguay‘s Cup-Winning Goal

Colorado Avalanche forward Alex Tanguay’s sniper shot won the second Stanley Cup for the Avs. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Like Sakic’s 600th goal, veteran forward Alex Tanguay’s goal is more impressive in what it accomplishes than in how it looks. It’s a goal born of hard work — and one that just so happens to win the Holy Grail of hockey, the Stanley Cup.

Game 7 of the 2001 Stanley Cup Finals. Joe Sakic picks up the puck near the red line. He drives to the net being minded by New Jersey Devils great Martin Brodeur. Sakic shoots, but Brodeur blocks. He gives up the rebound.

Well, who should be there with his high hockey IQ and soft hands but Alex Tanguay. Tangers is actually falling over, but he wasn’t going to let that stop him. He gets off a shot that beats Brodeur, putting Colorado up 2-1. The Avs won the game 3-1, so Alex’s goal is the game-winner:

Tanguay got another goal that night as well. He joked to Kyle Keefe that he’d hoped to score even more times. We’ll take the Cup-winner, though, as the most golden of five golden Avalanche goals.

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