For most, the backhand is the toughest shot in hockey. But not for Jeff Skinner, who made the tricky shot look both effortless and beautiful Thursday night during his club’s 5-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres.
The Carolina Hurricanes centre is scoring at the greatest rate of his career — 22 goals in 33 games played. And when Skinner stole the puck at centre ice, drifted into the Sabres zone with his back to the net and zipped a backhander past Buffalo’s Jhonas Enroth far-side, he snapped his season-worst five-game scoring drought in impressive style.
The key to the 2011 Calder Trophy winner’s backhand is the curve of his stick, which is subtler than the bend favoured by most NHL forwards. (Another backhand threat, Sidney Crosby, also uses a straighter stick, helping with elevation.)
Skinner has endured some battles with concussions since his 31-goal rookie campaign, but if he keeps this up, 2013-14 should signal a remarkable resurgence.
That Jeff Skinner backhand though…
— Kyra White (@sleepyeepee) January 24, 2014
Filthy backhand by Skinner. I can't kill Enroth too much on that one.
— Karl Robinson (@KRobinson830) January 24, 2014