Some things during a hockey game are really just out of your control.
Like equipment, for example. You can do all the right things before a game and then BAM! Your skate blade is gone. In comes New York Islanders defenceman Johnny Boychuk, who faced that EXACT problem during Game 5 of the Eastern Conference final. The dude was just chilling there, unable to skate until his goaltender Semyon Varlamov bailed him out. The latter literally had to give his blue-liner a push from behind so he could make his way to the bench, and the whole thing honestly looked hilarious.
There’s something about facing the Lighting and losing a blade…
Varly, just taking risks to save the day. The guy was straight fire all night, making 36 saves on 37 shots in the Isles’ 2-1 overtime win. We’re not sure what was better: the push or his epic slide.
Boychuk was able to laugh it off and it’s good to see the fluke play didn’t end up costing the Isles.
(H/T NHL on NBC)
