WASHINGTON, D.C.Tyler Seguins team-leading 19th goal of the season was a thing of beauty . . . with the assist was even prettier.
With the team down 2-1 in the second period, Seguin snapped his stick behind the net while battling to retain the puck during an offensive cycle. He sped toward the bench and executed a flawless hand-off of a replacement stick with Bruins assistant equipment manager Matt Falconer, then immediately jumped back into the play.
Steve Kampfer had hopped up into a pressure position on Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson with Seguin temporarily out of the picture, and the young defenseman got enough of a piece of Carlsons clear to alter the pucks pathway.
Instead of heading out of the zone, the puck slid right onto Seguins stick as he entered the zone with speed. He attacked the cage while holding the puck with speed, and backhanded a scoring bid over Tomas Vokouns short-side shoulder while charging the front of the net.
Falconer said hes had other stick-tossing moments that led to goals, but never one that took place that fast.
I guess thats my first one, eh? said Falconer. I was going to look for another one of Seguins sticks just in case that one broke after handing it to him, so I didnt actually see the goal. I just heard people yelling and then looked up and Seguin down on the ice after he scored. Everyone else saw it though because my phone has been blowing up with texts from all over the place.
The Falconer-to-Seguin score wasnt enough to help the Bs pull out the game, but at least its given one of the hard-working equipment guys a slice of the limelight for once.