The Dirtiest, Most Grotesque Dangle Of The Year Came To Us On This Penalty Shot In The Women's College Hockey National Championship Game
You guys remember when Gordon Bombay had that penalty shot in the final moments of regulation in the Minnesota pee-wee state championship game? The thing about that shot is that realistically, there wasn't any pressure on it. The game was tied, so even with Bombay rattling that triple deke off the post, the Hawks still had a chance to win the game in overtime. It's not like Gordon Bombay lost the game for the Hawks, he just didn't win it. Always seemed ridiculous that shot completely derailed his career considering they could have still won the game afterwards.
But this penalty shot from Wisconsin's Kirsten Simms? Well this was either you put away this penalty shot right now, or you're heading back to Madison with 2nd place. 19 seconds left in regulation, down by a goal, this was now or never. Wisconsin needed a hero, and Kirsten Simms knew right away that she could deliver the gals to glory.
Right away. Without a lick of hesitation, she told 1980 US Hockey legend Mark Johnson to put the puck on her stick for this penalty shot. She wanted the rock, and holy goddamn shit did she deliver.
All the pressure placed squarely on her shoulders, and THAT'S the move she pulls off? Mama mia. What an absolute lunatic. Slow walks her way in there, toys with the Ohio State goalie the entire way in, head up, puck snapping around, gets the Ohio State goalie sliding over to the next zip code before tucking it away on a now completely wide open net. Kirsten Simms doesn't feel any pressure, she strictly applies it.
And as if scoring on that ridiculously filthy penalty shot to send the game to overtime wasn't enough, Kirsten Simms decided she'd be the one to deliver the final dagger.
She scored the game winner as a freshman in the 2023 National Championship game, and figured it was only right to add another to her resume. She's as clutch as you could possibly get. This chick absolutely loves daggering teams in overtime. Borderline addicted to scoring overtime game winners.
P.S. -- Ohio State should just be thankful she didn't Datsyuk them to death.