Milano's 'ridiculous' goal turns heads across hockey world

Yes, let us start by acknowledging the obvious: The goal Sonny Milano scored Wednesday night vs. Dallas to help cement a Blue Jackets victory was equal parts audacious, sublime and jaw-dropping.
But let us also remember the reason why he did it -- that move was likely the only way he was going to score what was a key tally at a crucial time of the win.

With two defenders hot on his tail and Stars goaltender Ben Bishop tracking his movement toward the net, Milano didn't have a ton of options. He didn't have the time or space to make most of the dekes in his arsenal, and with his momentum taking him left to right across Bishop's face, the only other option was likely to try to roof a backhander to Bishop's glove side with little margin for error.
Milano knew the moves that were on the table, and on instinct, he chose what he chose.
"That's the best shot that I thought I had, so I did it," he said afterward. "You're not planning anything, you're just trying to score."

And score he did. Moments after deking through the legs of forward Roope Hintz at the blue line, Milano got to the front of Bishop with Hintz and defenseman Esa Lindell hot on his tail. In one quick move, Milano pulled the puck back between his legs and flicked a shot past Bishop's blocker before the goalie even knew what hit him.
If you've

, turned on the highlight shows or attended the game in Nationwide Arena, you couldn't help but see the high-level piece of skill (the goal was even waiting on John Tortorella's phone when he got back to the team's coaching room after the game).
But again, if necessity is the mother of invention, it followed that Milano made the move because he thought it was the best course of action at the time.
A chat with both goaltenders on the ice afterward confirmed he was right.
"It's (a) really big (difference), actually, going from here to here," Blue Jackets goalie Joonas Korpisalo said, mimicking the sick mitts Milano showed to drag the puck back to change the angle on the shot. "It opens up the whole net. You don't expect that as a goalie. That was a great goal."
"It's a heck of a goal," Bishop admitted. "You don't like to be on the other end of it, but sometimes you have to tip your hat. It's a pretty impressive goal."
OK, now that we have that out of the way, let's get on to the fun part. How cool a goal was that?
"Look at it," head coach John Tortorella said, pointing to the back of the press conference room where Fox Sports Ohio was replaying the highlight during his postgame chat with the media. "I'm watching it right now. It's ridiculous. It's just a hell of a goal."
"I was like, 'No way,'" said Korpisalo, who has fallen victim to the move himself in practice.
"Sonny Milano has my vote for goal of the year!!! Are you kidding me... that was so dirty!!!"

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"Gonna watch on repeat a couple thousand more times,"

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"Good lord Sonny Milano out here taking no prisoners,"

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"The NHL is back to 30 teams. The Dallas Stars are no more,"

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"How am I supposed to continue on with my evening after seeing this goal,"

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So, yes, we can keep going, but it's no secret Milano has the skill to put the puck in the net. His ridiculous hands have been his calling card since being a first-round pick of the Blue Jackets in the 2014 draft, and the Long Island native admitted he's had that between-the-legs move in his repertoire for many a year.
He also said his focus so far this season after spending most of last year with AHL Cleveland has been on defense, and Tortorella has noticed.
"The best play he made for me as a coach, we're up 3-1, I think there's probably six minutes left in the game, he's in the offensive zone," Tortorella said. "He has the puck, looks back out to the point. If he tries to make a play out to that point, it might get picked off and they could be going the other way. What he does, he throws it in behind the net.
"So it's a great goal, but to me, the best play he made tonight for a coach was a smart play when we have a lead."
Milano will always have skill. Add in those smarts when it comes to understanding situational play and he's off to a good start to making a big impact this year this year for the Blue Jackets.
He'll always have that goal, as well, but on the whole he was just excited to have his 16th career NHL tally and a win in the bag.
"It's just a goal," he said. "I've been wanting to score and I've had some chances, so it's nice to see one go in."