Yevgeny Kuznetsov found a way to make his super-slow firefight even more absurd.
Kuznetsov, who shot first in the skill game against Buffalo Sabers goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, picked up the puck on center ice and went into his default sloth mode. But it’s what he did next that sparked chuckles throughout the league.
Kuzy passed the puck forward to open ice, then seemingly glitched as if his controller was disconnecting.
When your controller disconnects but turns back on just in time. 😂 pic.twitter.com/SoyzyZkQhO
— NHL (@NHL) March 16, 2023
When the Russian centerman got the puck back on his knife, he started to show signs of life again, slashing the puck like crazy until he finally scored on his forehand.
During the broadcast, Craig Laughlin of NBC Sports Washington said that Kuzy’s attempt lasted 10.1 seconds and that he totaled 21 stickhandles.
Kuznetsov is now 80 per cent in the shootout this season, making four of his five tries all from the same Slownetsov move.
Earlier in the year I asked Kuzy what the benefits were.
“To be honest, I don’t know,” Kuznetsov said. ‘I do not know what [the goalies] guess but I feel much more comfortable in terms of timing and stick handling. As for my angle, I feel much more comfortable when I come more slowly.
“I look at the keeper for a long time and see what he is doing, how deep he is.”
TJ Oshie would score after taking Kuznetsov and UPL completely out of the net. Alex Tuch and Tage Thompson were both stopped by Charlie Lindgren to give the Capitals the win.