Connor Bedard stunned the hockey world when he did the unthinkable Saturday night as the Blackhawks took on the Blues, but it turns out he wasn't the only one to achieve the unexpected that night.
Bedard, behind the Blues' net in the first period, scooped the puck with his stick and forced it in the top corner of the net, hitting the patented "Michigan" goal.
But the shock and awe was only heightened when Travor Zegras also hit a "Michigan" goal that same night for the Anaheim Ducks.
Watch the goals
So who did it better?
Chicago Blackhawks
Bedard used what's referred to as a "high wrap" technique, where he scooped up the puck with his stick and forced it into the net. The technique looks like a lacrosse goal, where the ball sits in the net of the stick.
“There was just no one there, and just thought it was a good play, and yeah, kind of went for it," Bedard said during an interview between periods.
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It's a rare goal, even despite Zegras' success.
“He’s got quick hands and I didn’t even realize what happened until it went in,” Chicago coach Luke Richardson said. “That’s the vision that he has. He can see that when the puck is probably wobbling a little bit. He gets his blade under it and he can scoop it as he’s moving. He’s able to do those things. Unfortunately we couldn’t propel it into a win tonight.”
“Talented play and I think it shocked all of us," St. Louis forward Robert Thomas said of Bedard's goal. "That’s a hard play to stop and it takes a lot of skill to do that at that speed.”
Zegras returned to Anaheim's lineup after missing 20 games with a lower-body injury. He stepped into the top-line center role previously occupied by rookie center Leo Carlsson, who sprained a ligament in his right knee Thursday against Calgary.
With 5:59 left in the Ducks' 3-2 loss to Seattle, the 22-year-old Zegras skated behind the net and picked up the puck with his stick blade before flinging it over Joey Daccord’s shoulder from the extended goal line.
It was nothing new for Zegras, who has scored three of the NHL's eight lacrosse-style goals, according to the Ducks.
“When I went behind the net, it’s something I obviously feel comfortable with doing,” he said. “In my opinion, it’s not like a crazy play for me to do. When that goalie goes post to post, usually you’ve got a little room upstairs. Lucky enough, it went in.”
MORE: Blackhawks' Connor Bedard submits Goal of Year candidate with unreal lacrosse goal
What is a 'Michigan' goal?
What even is the so-called "Michigan" goal? Here's the story behind the famous lacrosse-style goal.
The goal originated with Bill Armstrong, a minor league player for the Albany Devils. Trying it at practice, he wondered if he could use the move in a real game. He did. And he scored four goals with that trick.
Mike Legg, a winger for the Michigan Wolverines, heard about the move and used it himself in a 1996 NCAA Tournament game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. It was named the "Goal of the Year" by Swedish magazine Inside Hockey. The stick Legg used was later donated to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
MORE: Wayne Gretzky reacts to Connor Bedard's 'Michigan' goal in shock
The goal is referred to by many names. The "Michigan," the "high wrap," the "Zorro."
It's been adapted and used ever since, most recently with the Blackhawks' rookie phenom.
