The video you will see below the jump shows Alexander Semin scoring a nifty goal off the post in the third period of the Washington Capitals' 3-0 win over the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night. What the video does not show, however, was Semin's work backchecking Ed Jovanovski to set up the goal. Japers' Rink noticed it, though, and pointed it out in its recap.
And speaking Semin, as nice as his goal was, his backcheck on Panthers defenseman Ed Jovanovski just a few moments earlier was in the same league - and probably more important for a number of reasons.
In a way, doesn't this whole sequence prove Matt Bradley's point over the summer? Not the "Semin doesn't care" part, but the idea that he could be the best player in the league based on flashes he shows. How many players are capable of completing a sequence like this? Who can backcheck away a Florida opportunity, then score on a tough-angle goal as they streak down to the opposite end? There definitely aren't many guys in the league who can.