Ryan Johansen not only beat Devan Dubnyk for the shootout winner in Nashville on Tuesday, but he also managed to really tick him off in the process.
Dubnyk had plenty to say after Tuesday's shootout loss and was especially vocal about Johansen's tactics when it came to his fourth-round clincher. The Predators forward showcased some quick hands and high-end skill on his shootout attempt, but Dubnyk was rather displeased with how slowly he approached the net, saying that Johansen is making a "mockery" of the breakaway competition.
It's the second straight game in which Johansen has utilized the slow and steady strategy to his benefit, and both instances helped the Predators beat the Minnesota Wild. He had a similar approach on Sunday in Minnesota, where he was able to wait out Minnesota's Alex Stalock before putting the puck into the back of the net.
Have a look at both shootout goals below:
After Tuesday's game, Dubnyk referenced both attempts.
"I don't mind shootouts," Dubnyk said, "but if you want some example of why maybe not, there's one. That's two games in a row. It's a mockery. We're trying to make the playoffs."
The NHL's rule book doesn't set parameters on how fast or slow a player must be traveling when taking their shootout try, but it does say that the puck and skater must be moving forward at all times.
"To me, he's completely stopped," Dubnyk said. "It's frustrating. That's two games in a row. He shoves Al's pad in the net. If he's not stopped, he's not stopped. But I don't understand how you come in and stop at the top of the crease and stand there and stickhandle and wait."
Unfortunately for the Wild goaltender, his coach didn't agree.
"I didn't think he stopped the forward motion," said Bruce Boudreau when asked about Johansen's attempt on Tuesday. "So to me it was a good goal."
Dubnyk's frustration is understandable when you consider the fact that goalies aren't typically used to players traveling in on net that slowly, especially in a game situation, but by the rule book it would seem that there's nothing illegal about Johansen's approach. Still, for a Wild team that is fighting to hold onto a wild card playoff spot in West with less than 20 games remaining, the two points lost in back-to-back games could be costly, and Dubnyk has seemingly found those lost points especially tough to swallow.
