Aleksander Barkov's highlight-reel goal in the second period of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final got the highest of praise from the Greatest of places.
Barkov pulled off an eye-popping, fake between-the-legs backhanded goal to tie the game. The Panthers eventually won in overtime to take a 2-0 series lead.
During the intermission while in the TNT studio, Wayne Gretzky had plenty to say. The Great One didn't tiptoe around what he thought of Barkov's incredible effort.
.@WayneGretzky called Barkov's goal one of the "greatest moves he's seen in the playoffs" 😱
"We've all seen guys go through the legs now, right? It's become kind of an art. A lot of guys try it. A lot of guys do it," Gretzky said. "But to see him in a Stanley Cup Playoff game, under the gun, pressure situation, down 1-0? That's one of the greatest moves I've ever seen in the Stanley Cup Playoffs."
Panthers teammate Matthew Tkachuk, who scored the overtime winner, called Barkov's move "insane" and pointed out not a lot of players have the stickhandling ability to pull off that move.
Will we see the fake between-the-legs move become as prominent as the between-the-legs goal? Here's hoping.
