We can’t say we’ve ever seen a goal quite like this one.
Laval Rocket forward Brandon Gignac scored a ridiculous goal against the Toronto Marlies in the AHL on Thursday. The Rocket have already clinched a spot in the Calder Calder Cup Playoffs and are battling for playoff position.
The Rocket and Marlies played a wild back-and-forth thriller at Place Bell in Quebec. The hometown Laval ended up winning the game in 5-4 in overtime. While there was plenty of nice goals from both sides, one highlight stood out from the rest.
Brandon Gignac scored an absurd goal in the third period off the rush. Gignac deked out a Marlies defender before seeing the puck sputter into the air. Gignac chopped the puck out of mid-air with one hand and it went top shelf past the goalie.
Check out this sorcery below:
HOLY HELL BRANDON GIGNAC ARE YOU SERIOUS?!
Laval ties it up 4-4!! pic.twitter.com/XTd1Ng2P8Y
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla) April 29, 2022
We’ve seen some spectacular goals in hockey, but we’ve can’t say we’ve seen a mid-air one-handed chop goal like this one. You can tell by Gignac’s hyped up reaction that he knew he just did something special.
This was only Gignac’s second goal in the last 18 games, making it even more mind-blowing. Gignac was a third-round draft pick of the New Jersey Devils in 2016 and has yet to crack an NHL roster. In 47 AHL games with Laval this season, Gignac has 10 goals and 14 assists.
The 2022 AHL Playoffs are set to begin around the same time as the NHL Playoffs this year. Considering the skill Gignac displayed Thursday, plus the possibility of Cayden Primeau starting in goal, Laval will be a team to watch this spring.
Take a bow, Brandon Gignac.