It began with a nice play on the penalty kill for Detroit Lakes High School senior captain Alex Mason, who intercepted an opponent's pass and then fought through another player to earn a breakaway.
It ended with one of the most spectacular goals of the calendar year, at any level of hockey competition:
In a Saturday night Minnesota State High School League game against Bagley/Fosston, Jones faked to his backhand to get the goalie moving, and then lifted the puck on his forehand into the top of the net. To control the puck like that, at that speed ... sick.
Mason finished the game with two goals and three assists. Western College Hockey Blog called it something they'd never seen before. It's Always Sunny In Detroit called it "a Datsyukian-like move that would have been the top play on 'SportsCenter.'"
Garnering almost as much attention as the goal is the look of the player that scored it. Mason has flowing hair as a tribute to his Mahnomen Indian roots, as a member of White Earth Reservation. He lives on the reservation, but attends a high school located elsewhere.
Here's Mason in a video from August 2011, talking about his Native American traditions and heritage:
As Mason said last summer, he's received some interest from junior teams in Canada to continue his hockey career. This viral video goal is one heck of a calling card.
529 comments