NHL's Goal-Scoring Celebrations

SI Staff | Dec 15, 2006

NHL's Goal-Scoring Celebrations

Traditional -- Arms Raised

Mike Stobe/Getty Images

Score a goal, raise both arms. A pretty simple response, as Penguins star Sidney Crosby shows here. This traditional celebration is seen most often in NHL arenas, but as this gallery shows, there are plenty of other ways to act when that red light goes off.

Raised Arms Variation

AP

Raising both arms after a goal is so popular that other teammates do it ... as do the fans sitting in the stands. But the Kings' Craig Conroy puts on a nice one-arm-down variation after this goal.

Making Your Point

AP

Another variation of the traditional method of celebrating is to raise one arm and point with the other, as Montreal's Andrei Markov does here. It's usually to acknowledge the teammate who made the key assist.

Kneeling Fist Pump

AP

Martin St. Louis is among several players who like to put a little more oomph in their celebrations by going to one knee and pumping the fist.

The Rockette

AP

Nashville's Alexander Radulov displays his leg-kick celebration that has been used by a handful of players in recent years.

Crouching Tiger

AP

Well, technically, this is a Crouching Canadien (specifically, Craig Rivet). The stick is usually raised, but a few players over the years (Dave "Tiger" Williams and Theo Fleury, for instance) have put the stick between their legs and ridden it as a broomstick.

Jump For Joy

AP

Some players just like to go airborne -- and certainly Justin Williams had good reason to do so here after scoring a third-period goal in Game 7 of last year's Stanley Cup Finals.

Simple Gesture

AP

If you've scored as many goals as Mario Lemieux did in his career (690, 9th all time), then you can take the low-key approach -- a simple acknowledgment, a quick smile and go on. Act like you've been there before!

Blowing A Kiss

AP

Mario's former Penguins linemate, Jaromir Jagr, has been inventive in his goal-celebration career, having blown kisses to the crowd (as he's doing here) and also offering salutes.

Group Hug

Dave Sandford/Getty Images

Don't like to celebrate alone? Get everyone else in on the act, as the Bruins do here.

Ovechkin's Exuberance

Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin has displayed a variety of over-the-top celebrations during the 70 goals he has scored in his young career.

Receiving Line

AP

Who says you can only celebrate with the guys on the ice? One of the more recent trends is for the goal scorer to accept the acknowledgment of grateful teammates who were watching from the bench.