Matvei Gridin scored twice for the Calgary Flames against the Maple Leafs on Monday night, then broke out the griddy.
The dance came after his second goal of the night, the third one Sergei Bobrovsky allowed. Justin Williams hated every second of it.
“I hate it,” Williams said, plain and simple.
The goal itself won't make Bobrovsky's highlight reel. It came on a shot from distance, and the veteran wasn't square to his net when it went in.
Then Gridin turned toward the crowd, made a gesture, and went straight into the dance. No hesitation.
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Williams' reaction comes straight out of the old-school code. Score, celebrate with your teammates, skate back to the bench, and act like you've done it before.
Sergei Bobrovsky's night in Calgary complicates Jim Hiller's goalie choice for Seattle
Williams is wrong on this one. A 20-year-old on a $953,750 cap hit who scores twice against Toronto has earned a little swagger.
Hockey treats celebrations like a dress code at a country club. The kids showing up in sneakers are the ones selling tickets.
The same game also saw Zack MacEwen and Jacob Middleton drop the gloves, so nobody was confusing this one for a quiet Monday.
The Leafs walked into Calgary riding a four-game win streak. The Flames had won three in a row of their own.
Calgary needed the energy more. The Flames entered the night at 4-6-0, sitting sixth in the Pacific.
For the Toronto goalie, the bigger problem is the trend. The 38-year-old came into the night with an .895 save percentage.
Anthony Stolarz entered Monday at .907 through five games.
So does Jim Hiller go back to Bobrovsky in Seattle on Wednesday? That decision just got more complicated.
The veteran's $7,000,000 cap hit only makes nights like this louder in Toronto.
As for Gridin, the next griddy might draw a response from someone in blue and white. The teams meet again Jan. 26 in Toronto.
Was Matvei Gridin's griddy against the Maple Leafs fair game?
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