How Cale Makar stunned NHL with epic Avalanche OT winner in Chicago: “One of the best goals of the year”

Cale Makar downplays his magic.

The Avalanche defenseman had the full NHL buzzing connected Tuesday nighttime aft his overtime heroics successful Chicago. Makar’s stunning game-winner gave Colorado a 4-3 victory. Just don’t expect the 23-year-old hockey savant to gloat.

“It was a small spot lucky, to beryllium honest,” Makar said.

The video replay tells different story. It starts with 2:27 near successful the overtime period.

CALE MAKAR, OH MY 🤯 @Avalanche #SCtop10 pic.twitter.com/C4wHOa8FvZ

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 5, 2022

Makar handled the puck from down Chicago goalie Marc-Andre Fleury and began circling toward the apical of the violative zone. Blackhawks’ defenseman Kirby Dach overcommitted successful pursuit. That’s erstwhile Makar took vantage with a speedy rotation backmost toward the nett — similar a devastating NBA crossover dribble — and finished with a slick backhand flip implicit Fleury’s stick-hand.

Makar, typically reserved for on-ice celebrations, responded with a immense fist pump.

“One of the champion goals of the year,” said defenseman Erik Johnson, who scored doubly against Chicago. “That was beauteous saccharine to ticker from the bench. Just his borderline enactment and the mode helium finished.”

How did Makar propulsion it off? In a word: Deception.

Makar’s estimation arsenic a maestro skater with elite manus skills dates backmost to his phenomenal rookie postseason debut. Avs manager Jared Bednar said the squad besides practices being deceptive, particularly connected the penalty-kill. The cardinal is showing your hostile 1 enactment portion allowing different options to inactive develop.

On Tuesday night, Makar perfectly timed his abrupt complaint toward the net. Dach ne'er stood a chance.

“That play doesn’t hap if it’s predictable,” Bednar said. “He’s looking up astatine different options with his eyes and past inactive knowing that he’s mounting himself up for a antagonistic travel if it doesn’t enactment out. We person a batch of players that tin bash that, but obviously, he’s 1 of the champion successful the league astatine it. Especially connected the blueline.”

Makar participate Thursday nighttime against the Winnipeg Jets with the astir goals among NHL defensemen (14). He is connected gait to go the archetypal blueliner successful a azygous play to transcend 30 goals since 2008-09 (Mike Green, Capitals). Will Makar beryllium next?

“He’s a feline that tin bash it, for sure,” Johnson said. “If you conscionable look astatine what helium did connected that goal, what you’ve seen passim the play and conscionable the improvement of his game. He’s lone going to support getting better, too, which is the scary part. … He doesn’t get precocious oregon low. He’s conscionable close down the middle. I deliberation that’s what makes him truthful good. He’s an unflappable feline and truthful humble.”

Makar predictably credited teammates for the 11th game-winning extremity of his abbreviated NHL career. None were much superb than his latest highlight-reel moment. He makes it look easy.

“You’re successful the infinitesimal and it conscionable benignant of happens,” Makar said.