Bruins’ Charlie McAvoy Explains Shorthanded Goal Celebration

BOSTON — Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy potted two goals in Boston’s centennial win over the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday.

The first opened the scoring for Boston as the defenseman took a pass from Jordan Oesterle just above the faceoff dot and skated in all alone uncontested for a wraparound tally past Montreal goalie Cayden Primeau.

The second, however, was even more beautiful than the first because it was a shorthanded goal that put the Bruins up 4-0 just 38 seconds into the second period.

McAvoy collected the puck at the Bruins’ defensive blue line and skated in all alone to once again put the puck past Primeau. The 26-year-old New York native celebrated his second goal of the game with a celebratory Spoked-B kiss.

“I thought about it after the first goal, and that was when I should have done it,” McAvoy said. “That was what I should have done. I ended up scoring again, and then I did it. Just love for this city, this organization, and just how amazing it is to be a part of it really.”

He said he wasn’t trying to change anything about his game or put himself in different positions on the ice despite the offensive output in the game.

“Just playing hockey,” McAvoy said. “I have speed. I’m coming off the bench on my first (goal). (Oesterle) gives it to me, and I’m looking at my angle to shoot. And I had enough speed where I thought, if I can look and sell this, I’m going to wrap it. And you just make that decision, go with it. It was good, beat him to the post.

“On the second one, I’m diving there. I’m on my stomach and just so happen to get a breakaway out of it. I think I was trying to clear it. I was trying to get to the 50-50 and ended up with a breakaway. When you’re going that fast, you just got to beat him to the post usually. So that was all I was thinking, making a fake. Scoring goals is fun.”

McAvoy added he had a shorthanded breakaway opportunity last season against the Nashville Predators but didn’t score. He has five goals and five assists in 26 games for the Bruins this season.