Malik’s Claim To Fame: November 26th, 2005

It was the first year following the 2004 lockout, Tom Renney was head coach, Jaromir Jagr was a Ranger, and Henrik Lundqvist was a rookie.

Oh, Alex Ovechkin was also a rookie, but let’s move on.

The NHL was a revamped after the lockout with a shiny new salary cap and new rules.

One of those new rules stated that if both teams were still tied after a five minute overtime period, a shootout would decide the match.

And that is just how this game against the Washington Capitals was to be decided.

Fans have their opinions on shootouts. Some love the entertainment, while purists claim the shootout is a gimmick.

What both parties will agree upon though, is that when a shootout goes 15 rounds things will get interesting.

It is a rarity to see a defensemen in a shootout. These players are known for their physicality and not soft hands.

But in the 15th round against the Washington Capitals and Olaf Kolzig, 6’6 defenseman Marek Malik would prove this theory wrong.

Malik slid the puck right through his legs at the last second and flipped the puck over the left shoulder of Kolzig.

Malik’s reaction was by far the best part, as he raises a hand in the air as to say, “Yep, I just did that”.

Malik described the moment to writer Michael Rappaport of The Hockey Writers:

“When the [shootout] goes on and on, I thought if I had a chance to do it, I do this move, for sure,” Malik said. “Everyone tried all the different things — shots or moves. And I said I think I’m going to surprise him because both goalies were unbelievable that night. I thought they were going to be a little tired, maybe shock him a little bit, and it works to my favor.”

Malik’s unlikely goal was apart of the longest shootout in NHL history until the Washington Capitals and Flordia Panthers broke the record with a 20 round shootout in 2014.