Shaw's head-butt goal remarkable, but disallowed

ANAHEIM -- It might be one of the most remarkable disallowed goals in NHL history.

Andrew Shaw of the Chicago Blackhawks looked more like a soccer player than a hockey forward early in the second overtime Tuesday when he headed the puck into the net against the Anaheim Ducks in Game 2 of the 2015 Western Conference Final at Honda Center.

The puck popped up in the air during a goalmouth scramble, and Shaw purposely used the crown of his helmet to propel the puck past Anaheim goaltender Frederik Andersen for what he momentarily thought was the game-winning goal.

The play initially was ruled a goal on the ice and several Blackhawks players celebrated, but after a review it was disallowed. Hockey operations ruled: "At 8:47 of double overtime in the Chicago Blackhawks/Anaheim Ducks game, video review supported the referee's call on the ice that Andrew Shaw deliberately head-butted the puck into the Anaheim net. According to Rule 78.5 (i) "Apparent goals shall be disallowed when the puck has been directed, batted or thrown into the net by an attacking player other than with a stick." No goal Chicago."

"Yeah I understand [the rule], but I think if anyone can ever pull that off it should still be a goal," Shaw said. "I mean, at that point you react in the moment and try to get it in."

Amazingly, this was not the first time Shaw has been involved in a game in which a player deliberately headed the puck into the net. Shaw was playing for Owen Sound of the Ontario Hockey League in the 2011 Memorial Cup when Devante Smith-Pelly, formerly of the Ducks and now a member of the Montreal Canadiens, had a goal disallowed after trying a similar move for Mississauga st. Michael's.

"He did it and they called it back, so I kinda knew what I was going against after it happened," Shaw said. "Actually, he came flying in and dove at it. It was pretty neat as well."

While several players left the bench and joined Shaw and the other players on the ice for a celebration, others knew there was probably more hockey to be played.

"Some of us thought it was over. Some of us thought it was going to be coming back," Blackhawks forward Patrick Sharp said. "That was a heck of a play. I'm not sure why that's not allowed. I know it's in the rule book but that's a pretty athletic play and a pretty entertaining play as well. It was a nice play by [Shaw]. We thought maybe that was it, but you just regroup. It's much like the series. You take the next game, the next battle as it comes. You don't get too high or too low, you just keep fighting."

Shaw said he played some soccer as a kid, and he's a regular in Chicago's pregame tradition of playing "keepy uppy" with a soccer ball.

"I didn't like our chances," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. "I was hoping he might have hit it on the way in but wanted to make sure on the replay. That was crazy. Probably got that from the soccer before the games, doesn't want to let it hit the ice. Probably one of those instinct plays."

It was the signature moment in an active game for Shaw. He had 10 shot attempts in more than 25 minutes of ice time, including two other great chances to score after regulation.

He was also on the ice for the winning goal, and Marcus Kruger leapt into his arms after scoring one that was not going to be disallowed.

"I had a couple opportunities. Andersen is a great goalie and he played well," Shaw said. "He challenged us as we were shooting.

"We've been there before. We know what it takes to win, especially late in those games. I think both teams played well in overtime. We both had our scoring opportunities. Corey stood on his head and kept us in it."