MacLean shares how his first NHL goal came to be.
MacLean shares how his first NHL goal came to be.
EAST MEADOW, NY -- New York Islanders forward Kyle MacLean found himself skating to the penalty box 43 seconds into the second period of Monday night's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
He hadn't committed an infraction but was asked by head coach Patrick Roy to serve the extra two minutes that were given to Bo Horvat after he fought Maple Leafs defenseman Simon Benoit for taking a run at Mathew Barzal.
While in the box, he watched Mitch Marner score at 4-on-4 to tie the game at 1-1 before the Leafs headed to the power play.
As the penalty box was getting set to expire, MacLean got ready to get back and help his team in the defensive zone.
"I was watching the play," MacLean told The Hockey News. "I know the puck is in the defensive zone. So when you come out of the box, right, you're looking to help out in the defensive zone first."
So, MacLean had defense on his mind as the penalty box door sprung open. But things changed in a matter of a second.
"When I saw Cal [Clutterbuck] make that play. And I just saw...like it was a perfect opportunity that kind of came right to me. Great play by him. But yeah, my first instinct was to go back. Then I saw that I kind of got a break."
After that quick step toward the Islanders zone, MacLean found himself all alone, but it wasn't that simple. As the puck came to his stick, it hit something on the ice and took a couple of low bounces.
"Oh, yeah. I think, first, I just wanted to get it settled down and then go from there," MacLean said. "It happened quick."
Once the puck did settle on MacLean's stick, it was just him and Toronto netminder Ilya Samsonov.
MacLean decided to go with a deke, and it paid off as his initial fake broke Samsonov's ankles before he slid the puck past the left pad and in for his first NHL goal.
"I don't know if it was just instinct or if I really thought up the deke itself," MacLean explained. "I like to do that, that kind of pump fake, usually, if I get a chance.
"So once I got it settled, I just went straight to that, and then it developed from there."
Then came time for the celebration.
Scoring an NHL goal is a crazy moment, let alone getting your first. But to be able to celebrate with your dad is an opportunity that no one gets.
MacLean had that opportunity, with his dad John, the Islanders power-play coach -- behind the bench.
"We had a little bit of a moment there. It was cool," MacLean said. "It's a cool situation and pretty special for him to be there for that."
BONUS CAL CLUTTERBUCK CHAT
As you saw, Clutterbuck was the one who made the pass to MacLean. Was the pass on purpose, or just an attempt to clear the zone on the penalty kill?
"I'd be lying if I said that I saw him and put it on his tape," Clutterbuck said. "I was trying to get it out, first of all, but I knew the penalty was coming to an end. I put it to an area, and it happened to land right on his stick."
As for the celebration above: "I'm so happy for him. He's had a couple of chances, a post or two and we all remember that feeling the first time you score. So, to see a young kid who's got a great attitude and works as hard as he does to get his first one. And with his dad on the bench, what a pretty cool moment to be part of.
What it's like playing with Kyle, instead of Cizikas: "He's done a solid job [filling the Cizikas role]. He's a really good, really good player. I think the lesson for a lot of young kids out there is if you're not going to be the Mat Barzals of the world, you want to play the game properly and hard, and you'll find a place for sure."