The Arizona Coyotes didn't realize they had scored a goal against Carolina Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward on Thursday night. Then again, Ward had no idea, either.
In one of the most bizarre scoring sequences in NHL history, the puck became lodged in Ward's right skate before he stuck his leg entirely inside the net to position himself to make a save. Play was stopped when the puck was clearly missing. A linesman came over and poked the puck from Ward's skate.
"That first one was probably one of the weirdest goals I've ever seen," said teammate Jeff Skinner, who contributed two goals and an assist in an eventual 6-5 Hurricanes victory.
The sequence was reviewed by the NHL situation room, and a goal was awarded to the Coyotes at 8:27 of the first period in Raleigh, North Carolina.
"Upon review of the play, the puck is caught in the goaltender's skate. His skate crosses the line completely. So we have a goal," referee Dan O'Rourke announced.
"It's bad luck for Ward there, but good for us, obviously," Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet said.
Defenseman Alex Goligoski was credited with the unassisted goal, having sent the puck around the boards before it became wedged in Ward's skate. Goligoski later scored a more conventional power-play goal.
"That's a first -- got to be a first," Carolina coach Bill Peters said of Ward's own goal. "It was one of those where you're shaking your head, wondering 'What else? What's next?'"