Photoshop via @dasimonetta
In the second period, Jason Chimera scored what I’m going to assume is the flukiest goal of the postseason. At center ice, Chimera deflected a Karl Alzner clearing attempt from the Caps defensive zone. Flyers goaltender Steve Mason failed to get his stick in proper position and the puck slowly rolled through his pads. After the game, Capitals players felt sympathy for Mason.
“I couldn’t even watch the replay of it,” Braden Holtby said. “As a fellow goalie, you never want to see that happen. As a competitor you just don’t want to see it and you feel for the other guy. He’ll come back and he’ll come back hard.”
Holtby’s teammates expressed similar sympathy.
“When I was a little kid, Andrei Markov scored a goal from behind the net,” Alex Ovechkin said. “Sometimes that kind of stuff happens.”
Said Alzner: “I’m no goalie, but I’ve tried to handle spinning pucks before and you have no idea where they’re going. It’s unfortunate for him, for them.”
Meanwhile, the internet had a field day.
There were Vines.
There were many Crying Jordan photoshops, including a savage GIF by the NHL’s American TV partner NBCSN.
Is that Jordan?#StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/BTr2SX8TxP
— NBC Sports Hockey (@NBCSportsHockey) April 17, 2016
@ianoland pic.twitter.com/cvusDAIZWU
— Ryan Tomoff (@rtomoff16) April 17, 2016
Here's my expert analysis of today's game. pic.twitter.com/DeYcivQaWI
— FanSince09 (@FanSince09) April 17, 2016
https://twitter.com/Daisey804/status/721528278432006144
when you allow a goal from center ice pic.twitter.com/4nen6gP0J1
— adam berner ➕✖️ (@i_bern_em) April 17, 2016
https://twitter.com/WarriorsLaursen/status/721516834189484032
There were beachball photoshops.
Welcome to the #BeachBallClub Steve Mason: pic.twitter.com/8xC6XGwwix
— Wyatt Arndt (@TheStanchion) April 17, 2016
There were Twitter jokes.
https://twitter.com/JoePack/status/721495407998709762
Better goalie than Steve Mason pic.twitter.com/wZGGx2BwR3
— Garnacho Supreme (@FAUXSPORTZ) April 17, 2016
Even Vesa Toskala thinks Steve Mason let in the worst goal he’s ever seen surrendered.
— Randy Sportak (@RandySportak) April 17, 2016
ESPN even got cruel on Snapchat.
https://twitter.com/MichaelATater/status/721801890246311936
So what lesson did we just learn? Hockey players are better people than we are.
