Mikheev’s historical double! The Russian beat the NHL champion with unusual goals in the end
Ilya helped Toronto lead the series against Tampa, scoring twice into an empty net. Previously, none of the “leaves” allowed themselves this.
After trading victories in Toronto, the Maple Leafs and Lightning moved to the defending champions’ home arena for a further showdown in the Stanley Cup first-round series.
Kucherov catches up with Ovechkin, Svechnikov knocked down the Swede. NHL playoff results
Fans of the “lightning” probably expected that their favorites will develop the success of the second meeting, but the beginning of the meeting was left for Toronto. Morgan Reilly converted the majority already in the 5th minute, upsetting Vasilevsky for the first time, and soon a chic puck for Colin Blackwell was organized by Engvall and Russian defender Ilya Lyubushkin, who joined the attack.
The latter withstood a perfect pause, deceiving both Sergachev and Vasilevsky, and then laid out the perfect pass to an empty net, which the American forward took advantage of.
The rights to the video belong to NHL Enterprises, LP You can watch the video on the official website of the NHL.
“Tampa” could not recover, and at the start of the second period, the most unsuccessful shift was carried out by the striker of the “lightning” Brandon Hagel. First, the Canadian came under a powerful force from Lyubushkin, and when the puck quickly returned to him, he gave it exactly on the move to the opponent’s player Kempf. The Czech picked up the projectile, drove into the zone and sent the third puck behind Vasilevsky’s back with an accurate throw. Andrei, of course, can be reproached for not helping out, but the protection of the “lightning” allowed Kempf to feel at home in other people’s possessions.
The rights to the video belong to NHL Enterprises, LP You can watch the video on the official website of the NHL.
As is often the case, the majority was able to wake Tampa. Having got the opportunity to play too much for the second time in the match, the Lightning carried out an attack on the move, to which Mikhail Sergachev very successfully joined. Pass Russian under the throw Ross Colton was good.
The rights to the video belong to NHL Enterprises, LP You can watch the video on the official website of the NHL.
Ahead of Tampa was another half of the game, and Cooper’s wards began to crush Toronto. The Lightning moved the opponent, spent more time in the attack, but managed to squeeze out only one goal from their advantage: in the 46th minute, Palat hit Campbell for the second time in the match.
But the host stands had no more reasons to rejoice, besides, in the last minutes of the champion, the modest Russian hero of Toronto, Ilya Mikheev, finished off the champion. For the first time, he hit an empty net after Kucherov’s blunder in the transfer and the unheard-of generosity of teammate Engvall.
The rights to the video belong to NHL Enterprises, LP You can watch the video on the official website of the NHL.
A minute and a half later, Mikheev scored an amazing double, again hitting an empty net, and again after an excellent pass from Engvall.
The rights to the video belong to NHL Enterprises, LP You can watch the video on the official website of the NHL.
Things did not come to a hat-trick – after the second goal of Mikheev, 5 seconds remained to play. But it is unlikely that Ilya was very upset. He already achieved a unique achievement (no one had scored a double in an empty net in the entire 105-year history of Toronto in the entire 105-year history of Toronto), and his team won a quality victory on the road and led in the series 2-1.
