Klasen's Shootout Goal the Class of Channel One Cup

Published on 22-Dec-2013 by J Square Humboldt

NHL    NHL Daily Update

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Klasen's Shootout Goal the Class of Channel One Cup

The first holiday tournament of the season might have produced the shootout goal of the year.

Russia's Channel One Cup is the current incarnation of its traditional Izvestia Cup, an international competition that features pro players from the ranks of European clubs. It's a quick event, inviting only four nations.

Sweden's 2013 entry hasn't had the best of starts, but it features the skater who, so far, has produced the top highlight. Here's Lars Klasen -- a former Nashville Predator prospect now playing for Luleå in the Swedish Elite League -- executing a magnificent spin-o-rama in the Tre Kronor's shootout against Czech goalie and NHL veteran Alexander Salak, who is now with St Petersburg in the KHL:

Ironically, the Czechs won the shootout. That probably made it easier for Salak to say how impressed he was with Klasen's move.

"I thought about a poke check. Then he sent it between his legs, I stood frozen and thought, 'What's this? I don't like it.'"

But Klasen and his teammates did. For the moment, anyway.