Milwaukee Admirals goalie Yaroslav Askarov bench presses net
(Screenshot/ Twitter)

This is an all-time celebration.

Milwaukee Admirals goalie Yaroslav Askarov bench pressed the net after winning in a shootout Friday night against the Rockford IceHogs. It’s one of the most creative hockey celebrations we’ve ever seen.

Askarov, who is a prospect of the Nashville Predators, made 45 saves in regulation to get his team to overtime. The game eventually needed a shootout, where Askarov denied both of Rockford’s shooters to secure a 2-1 victory for Milwaukee.

After making the game-winning shootout save, Askarov immediately turned around and pulled down the net over top of him with his glove and blocker. While laying down on his back, Askarov bench pressed the crossbar up and down just like he would a bar in the gym.

Check out Askarov’s hilarious bench press celebration below:

Video:

The best part of the whole thing might be Askarov’s teammate at the end saving the net from falling down on his goalie. There’s a reason people say to always use a spotter at the gym.

The Milwaukee Admirals posted an official highlight of the bench press celebration on their social media feeds, but later took down the clip for unknown reasons. Perhaps the team felt the Askarov celebration was too arrogant or not great sportsmanship. Either way, we’re glad the AHL posted the sequence.

Askarov was drafted 11th overall by the Nashville Predators in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft and is regarded as one of the top goalie prospects. The 20-year-old netminder made his NHL debut against the Montreal Canadiens on January 12th, 2023, when he stopped 31 of 35 shots in a 4-3 loss.

Askarov is back playing in the AHL again after his big-league debut, but he’s clearly making the most of his time. The top goalie prospect is among the AHL goalie leaders with a 16-9-3 record and .909 save percentage, to go with two shutouts.

Aside from being a very talented goalie, Askarov is known for his quirky personality. The young tendy is always having fun on the ice, whether it be a creative celebration or a unique on-ice maneuver.

The Predators are currently set in goal with Juusse Saros, but we can’t wait until Askarov becomes a regular at the NHL level. Askarov’s unique blend of talent and personality makes him the type of player the NHL desperately needs.