Watch: Capitals’ Chimera scores goal with head
Washington Capitals forward Jason Chimera had a heads-up hockey play on Sunday evening—literally.
After a Capitals’ breakout pass bounced through a pair of Pittsburgh Penguins defensemen, goalie Marc-Andre Fleury came out to poke-check the puck away from Chimera, who had a real head of steam going. Instead, Fleury popped the puck up into the air, and right into Chimera’s noggin.
From there, it went off the side of his helmet to the back of the net.
Truly, it was a hold-your-head-high moment for the Capitals’ winger.
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It was reminiscent of a play during the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs in which Chicago Blackhawks forward Andrew Shaw attempted to head the puck into the net against the Anaheim Ducks, a goal which was later disallowed. Or maybe even Devante Smith-Pelly’s attempt to knock it in with his helmet back in his junior hockey days.
Unlike Shaw or Smith-Pelly, Chimera’s unorthodox redirection counted for his 18th of the season, and remained one of the few Washington highlights in an eventual 6-2 loss to the Pens.
Pittsburgh currently sits in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 88 points, 19 behind the Eastern Conference-leading Capitals.