An own-goal in hockey usually conjures images of pucks deflecting into the goal off of gloves or skates. Sometimes, they occur when a defensive player simply tries to do too much: Remember Nicklas Backstrom's errant clearing attempt on a Sidney Crosby pass back on 2008?
Defenseman Sven Berger of the Kloten Flyers tried to do too much against the Rapperswil-Jona Lakers on Saturday. Instead of playing the man or dumping to the corner, he accidentally sniped the puck past his own goalie Ronnie Rüeger on Saturday night.
Watch the high-quality highlight here (3:40 mark).
On the last replay, it looks like the Lakers player that Berger was racing may have affected the clearing attempt with his stick. Lukas Grauwiler of the Lakers was credited with the goal. Despite the gaffe, the Flyers won the Swiss National League A game, 4-3.
Adding a rather poetic (or tragic, if you're a Flyers fan) coda to this epic own-goal: Sven Berger is in his first season with Kloten, signing as a free agent after spending his entire hockey career with Rapperswil-Jona.
As Berger told ZurcherUnterlander: "I thought, 'Well, I'm still playing for the Lakers.'"
OK, so maybe they didn't realize they were signing a Free Sleeper Agent during the offseason ...
Stick-tap to reader 'Menace' for the tip; clip via SF VideoPortal, which had complete coverage of the game.
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