Presented by Nationwide Insurance Agent Jeff Vukovich
Chicago Blackhawks rookie phenom Connor Bedard made headlines on Saturday by pulling off "The Michigan" in the first period against the St. Louis Blues.
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Hours later, Anaheim Ducks star Trevor Zegras did the same in the third period against Seattle, which set the hockey world ablaze. Bedard said he received quite a few texts after the game, one of which was from Zegras.
"It was kind of funny," Bedard said. "It’s rare for them to go in. For a couple to happen on the same night, it’s a funny coincidence."
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Before the game, Zegras was challenged by Anaheim's local rinkside reporter to try pulling it off as a Christmas gift. And sure enough he did just that.
"I don’t think it’s something you go into a game planning on," Bedard said. "It’s so hard to get space behind the net like that. If it’s there, I just see it as a good scoring chance. Obviously it’s fancier. I think goalies are obviously getting more certain of reading it and stuff, but sometimes might catch them off guard. If it’s there, it was obviously there for myself and him, we both got fortunate that we scored on."
When asked which one he liked better between the two, Bedard gave a humble answer: "I liked Zegras’. He picked it up kind of with his toe there, so I think that’s a little harder."
Wayne Gretzky was in the house when Bedard scored the goal. The Great One was impressed, acknowledging that it's not something he believed he could've pulled off.
"I couldn't do what he did tonight," Gretzky told Bally Sports Midwest. "That just wasn't in my repertoire. I didn't have the right kind of curve. Hully [Bobby Hull] could do it. I could never do what he did tonight. It was fun to watch. My daughter Emma is with me. And she goes, 'Dad, did you ever do that?' And I said 'No, I could never do that.'"
Bedard heard Gretzky's comments and was honored by them.
"I’m sure if he tried, he could do it pretty well," Bedard said. "It’s cool. Obviously probably one if not the best players to ever play the game. The fact that he knows who I am is pretty cool. To hear him talk about me and have him say some kind words is special."