Drew Doughty was on the ice more than any other player wearing a Maple Leaf on Thursday, and after his one-goal, two-point performance drew praise from his teammates and coaching staff.
From Greg Wyshynski, Puck Daddy: If it’s the Olympics, then it’s Drew Doughty Time
With the lead cut to 2-1 after Norway’s power-play goal, Doughty schooled forward Per-Age Skroder near the top of the offensive zone, cut in on net and sent a backhand shot over goalie Lars Haugen’s shoulder. Norway was back in the game for exactly 1 minute and 24 seconds, before Doughty reminded them that even Canada’s defense has deadly scoring threats.
“He’s basically a forward on ‘D,’” said Patrick Marleau, who faces Doughty frequently as a member of the San Jose Sharks. “A very special talent.”
“He’s a fearless type player,” said Babcock. “He was telling us that’s his first ever backhanded goal of his life. I don’t know it I buy that.”
It’s a great, revealing article that features quotes from players and division rivals who might not be as forthcoming with their Doughty praise during the NHL season. Doughty often gives honest scouting reports on other players around the league, and it’s interesting to hear it coming back from outside the organization.
Rules for Blog Commenting
Repeated violations of the blog rules will result in site bans, commensurate with the nature and number of offenses.
Please flag any comments that violate the site rules for moderation. For immediate problems regarding problematic posts, please email zdooley@lakings.com.