VIDEO: Michael Grabner kicks blooper goal past Jonathan Bernier

This is Michael Grabner’s sense of shame and disappointment.
Image courtesy Hockey Night in Canada

Hockey is a game of mistakes. They happen from time to time. Even the best defensive players in the world kick a goal or two past their goaltender every season or so. 

That said, when Michael Grabner failed to handle a loose puck in the slot against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night and instead inadvertently kicked it backwards slowly towards his own net, then lost the puck and pivoted around blocking his goaltender from spotting the puck until the last minute, the result was such a slapstick moment of hockey comedy that we can’t help but highlight the play.

Here’s how David Desharnais got credit for his second goal of the season:

(Courtesy: NHL.com)

Just an ugly moment all around for Grabner and the Maple Leafs… 

The goal was credited to David Desharnais, while Tomas Fleischmann and Alexei Emelin were credited with assists on the play. Personally I consider the phrase and concept of the ‘own goal’ to be a soccer thing that shouldn’t apply to hockey, but perhaps it should. It’s odd enough to credit Desharnais with a goal, but it seems patently insane to credit Emelin with a secondary assist on a play like this, no?