Brouwer conservatively celebrating. (Photo credit: Patrick McDermott)

A few weeks ago, Michael Wurman, Director of Game Entertainment and TV Production for the Washington Capitals, teased a special goal celebration for Troy Brouwer. During the Capitals open practice at Verizon Center on January 17, Brouwer busted a move and performed PSY’s Gangnam Style dance in skates. Wurman threatened that once Brouwer scores, that footage would be seen again.

“That song. Oy,” Wurman said. “But the people have spoken, they want it.”

On Friday, after Brouwer scored his third goal of the year with a perfectly placed shot over Ilya Bryzgalov’s right shoulder, Wurman gave the people what they wanted.

Video expertly taken by Melissa Allen. Everybody follow her at @Love4Greenie.

With PSY’s Gangnam Style blasting over the speakers, Brouwer dances on the jumbotron.

“It’s one of those times where I had a lot of time,” Brouwer said of his goal after Saturday’s optional practice. “I had a good look, and I was able to make my shot. Sometimes it doesn’t always work out perfectly in a game, and you’re a lot more rushed.”

But Troy, the jumbotron. What did you think of the game ops guys playing your dance?

“I have no problems with it,” Troy said with a laugh. “I think it’s funny!”

Brouwer continued: “I know everyone wants me to do it after a goal,” he admitted. “But it’s kind of tough to do something like that. That’s usually terms for getting into a fight. I’d love to be able to treat the fans, but, at the same time, we don’t need that crap [in hockey].”

Wrong, Troy. Yes, we do.

Guys, Kuzya’s not really dead. We promise.

Caps prospect Evgeny Kuznetsov started the season with an impressive stretch of nine goals and 21 points in his first 19 games. Since then, however, something wasn’t quite working for Kuzya who only added two goals and six points in his next 12 outings.

With that uncharacteristic stat-line (and news about his non-inclusion to the national team for the Moscow stage of EuroHockeyTour), the star right-wing faced adversity for one of the first times in his career. Heading into Traktor’s game against Spartak Moscow (featuring Shaone Morrisonn) Friday, Kuznetsov had something to prove.

And prove something he did. Kuznetsov scored two huge goals, collecting three points and 8 shots on goal in 19:53 of playing time. He also unveiled a new goal celebration.

Kuznetsov’s secondary assist is at the beginning of the video. His goals are at 1:05 and 2:30. And make sure to check out the celebrations.

After scoring his second goal of the game, Kuznetsov, like a dog begging for a treat, fell over and played dead. Really, Kuzya? The Caps prospect, who is now officially the Chad Johnson of the KHL, also shushed his adoring public after his breakaway goal in the second period.

Photo credit: Vitaly Gubin/HC Traktor

GIF by welshhockeyfan.tumblr.com

While the glove kiss remains Alex Ovechkin’s first reaction to scoring, we’ve seen him add new flourishes over the years. There’s jumping into the glass and the hot stick fiasco, and now it’s time to add a new item to the list: the belly pat.

We like to think of it as the gestural companion to “attaboy”, something that a four year-old boy who just learned how to eat with a fork might do when he’s pleased with himself. It’s a thing of joy, of bravado, of that precise brand of smugness that makes Ovi so lovable to his fans and so infuriating to everyone else.

Ovechkin is hot and he knows it. With 9 goals in 9 games since the Washington Post’s “What’s Wrong With Ovi” story, he has climbed from obscurity to fourth in the league’s goal-scoring race. Read into the belly pat however you want. We think it means something like this:

That was nice, but I’m hungry for MOAR.

For his part, Ovechkin is being coy about the new move. Talking to Tarik El-Bashir of the Washington Post, Ovechkin laughed it off: ”I do it before, I think.”

So far, from our count, Ovechkin has done the belly pat after his last five goals.

March 19, 2012, Against the Red Wings

At 31 seconds.

March 22, 2012, Against the Flyers

March 23, 2012, Against the Jets

March 25, 2012, Against the Wild