Perhaps the only thing better than one goal is two – something that Michael Rasmussen discovered last week, after the Detroit Red Wings rookie scored his first-ever National Hockey League goal, and then didn’t wait long for tally number two.
Rasmussen, a Semiahmoo Minor Hockey Association alum who was a first-round draft pick of the Red Wings in 2017, scored his milestone goal Oct. 30, just 1:06 into the first period of a road game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Detroit went on to win the game 5-3.
Save the puck. Michael Rasmussen scored his first career NHL goal for the Red Wings. pic.twitter.com/pEJwr3AyRo
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) October 30, 2018
On the goal-scoring play, Rasmussen – who had one assist in nine games prior to the the Oct. 30 affair – skated into the slot in front of Columbus goalie Joonas Korpisalo, and after receiving a pass from Thomas Vanek, one-timed a shot past Korpisalo on the stick side.
“Vanny made a great pass to me… it was a good start (to the game),” Rasmussen told reporters after the game.
Though the six-foot-six forward admitted that it felt good to get his first career goal out of the way, he was quite to add that what made the moment even sweeter was the fact that his team was able to win the game, too.
“I’ve been a little snake-bitten, I’ve had quite (a few) chances, so to get that one, and to get the win too… it feels better when you get the win.”
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While Rasmussen’s first NHL goal may have taken him nine games, he didn’t wait nearly as long to net his second.
On Thursday night in Detroit – with the New Jersey Devils in town – the former Tri-City Americans captain scored again, this time banging home a rebound on the power play against Devils’ netminder Cory Schneider.
Thursday’s game also marked the 11th of the season for Rasmussen, which means he’s likely to stick with the Motor City squad for the duration of the season, rather than be returned to the Western Hockey League’s junior ranks. After 10 NHL games, rookies’ entry-level contacts official kick in. Players like Rasmussen can still be returned to junior after surpassing that 10-game threshold, but it burns a year off their NHL deals.
After Rasmussen’s second goal in as many games last week, Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill told reporters after the game that he can see the first-year player’s confidence growing.
“If you get confident, you tend to go on little runs because of that and as a player, if you score, it builds confidence. It’s just the reality of it,” Blashill said.
“So, I think it’s good for him that he’s been scoring. I think his play’s been way better in the last little bit. I think he’s building as a hockey player and I think he’s getting rewarded with it with goals.”
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