Top 10 goals of 2015 (Puck Daddy Year in Hockey)
(Puck Daddy presents its annual look back at the year in hockey. Check back every day through the New Year for our many lists and hot takes.)
The goal of hockey is to score goals. There were a lot of them around the world in 2015, and it was quite tough to whittle a list of he year’s top goals to only ten.
Skill was certainly on display, so please be enjoying what we’re calling the 10 best goals in hockey of 2015.
10. Dmitry Orlov, Washington Capitals
You can count on one hand the number of people inside Verizon Center that knew Calvin Pickard did not have possession of the puck. So while everyone was frozen thinking a face-off was coming, Orlov took advantage.
9. Nathan Pelletier, Canadian Sport High School League
The U-18 player for Burnaby’s Winter Club team made headlines with this fantastically creative solo effort. Rather than take the puck behind the net, Pelletier decided to flip it over the defenseman to himself and bat it in.
8. Michael Forney, Belfast Giants
One of those plays where every decision made goes in your favor. Belfast's Chris Higgins chose correctly each time in helping set up this goal, capped off by a great no-look pass.
7. Chris Culligan, Cardiff Devils
Here’s the first of three goals scored by players laying on the ice. Here, Culligan manages to avoid losing possession with a defender draped on him, spin and fire the puck right into the net.
6. Alex Semin, Carolina Hurricanes
Great stick-to-itiveness shown by Semin here, who drives to the net, loses possession and has the wherewithal to blindly get a shot off while on his stomach and facing the opposite direction.
5. Melker Karlsson, San Jose Sharks
Aside from mumps, there was something in the NHL waters in the last year that produced a high number of goals come from players on their stomach. Karlsson managed to put the puck by Dan Hamhuis and Jacob Markstrom with a blind backhand following his being checked to the ice by the Canucks defenseman.
4. Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
Want to put his magical goal against the Minnesota Wild here? Sure, but the fact that Malkin creates this goal by pick-pocketing Oscar Klefbom and then just spinning around Mark Fayne is what helps get this one on the list.
3. Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
What’s a top goals list without the NHL’s best goal scorer?
2. Morgan Rielly, Toronto Maple Leafs
There weren’t many highlights for the Maple Leafs on the ice in 2015, but Rielly definitely provided the best one as he danced around the Edmonton Oilers.
1. Max Halvorsen, Freehold Township
Halvorsen gets the credit for the goal, but Julian Kislin did the remarkable work to help set up what becomes a successful 2-on-1 for Freehold vs. Middletown North. He splits two opponents, puts the puck between the legs of another, blows by a player who won’t be winning the Selke any time soon and then lays a between-the-legs pass off for what we're calling the best goal of 2015.
Previously on the Year in Hockey 2015:
- Top 10 hockey people of 2015
- Top 10 social media moments of 2015
- Top 10 most shocking transactions of 2015
- Top 10 most heinous on-ice acts of 2015
- Top 10 biggest busts of 2015
- Top 10 best pop culture hockey moments of 2015
- Top 10 best shootout goals of 2015
- Top 10 most controversial people of 2015
- Top 10 hockey fights of 2015
- Top 10 heartwarming moments of 2015
- Puck Daddy’s 2015 Alternative Year in Hockey Awards
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Sean Leahy is the associate editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Sean_Leahy
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