Jack Ahcan Scores First Career NHL Goal

(Photo: Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

For rookie Jack Ahcan, Thursday night’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks had some surreal moments. Playing for the Boston Bruins in only his eighth game with the NHL club, he had the opportunity to make a dream come true with the scoring of his first career NHL goal.

“Yeah, it was kind of crazy. I think I just said, ‘Let’s go’ and I was pretty fired up. I thought it hit the post and went wide. I didn’t really see it. It’s just, it’s such a great feeling. You know, you do picture it over and over in your head before it actually happens. And I don’t think once it was like that, but it was a pretty awesome goal and nice to get out of the way,” Ahcan said.

And though he likely never dreamed of being in a four-on-one rush in which he was the lone player back with the likes of Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat bearing down on him, even that was something special for him, even if DeBrincat scored.

“Yeah, obviously the first thing I’m thinking is like oh here we go, Kane, I’ve watched him all my life. I knew he was gonna pass. I tried to kind of bait him into, you know, passing it a little bit earlier. He’s such a good player. I probably should have just kept my stick in the lane. You know, it’s a four-on-one but I probably should have kept my stick in the middle. So, definitely a good learning experience and next time I’m in a four-on-one I think I’m just gonna keep my stick to the middle,” he said.

Ahcan was recalled from the Providence Bruins on February 22, 2022. That recall put him with Boston as they headed out west for a two-week, six-game road trip. The longer road trips are always a bonding experience, no matter when in the regular season they take place. And for Ahcan, this was an opportunity to get closer to the team.

“Yeah, I’d say so. Getting on the road with the guys for two weeks. Getting to know them on a personal level, practicing with them every day. I didn’t get a game on the road trip, but practicing every morning, hanging out in the hotel, different things like that, definitely made a big difference just with a [comfort] level. So, it made a big difference and go on from there,” Ahcan said.

That camaraderie with the team was evident before Ahcan notched his goal, but their reaction to his goal perhaps made it even clearer. And Brad Marchand, who got the primary assist, made sure to grab the puck for the rookie.

“Yeah, they’ve been awesome ever since I signed here coming into camp. And having those guys on the ice scoring a goal it was pretty overwhelming. It’s, you know, like I said the second period there’s a goal. I don’t want all the attention to be on me, but you do have to kind of soak it in, first NHL goal, but it was kind of a weird thing because it’s like let’s get back to this game and win this game, but everybody was so happy for me and they’ve all been awesome and great to me lately, actually since I signed. So, it was just kind of overwhelming like I said,” he described.

Ahcan did show some good moves beyond just the goal. As with all rookies, though, those first games are a learning process. He has to not only understand his role on the ice, but also remember what got him on the team in the first place.

“Well, he’s got to play to his strengths and when he has the puck on his stick he’s got to be moving and making plays that result in opportunities at the net. I thought he started to do a better job of that in the second period. Scored a goal, made a play down low to [Marchand]. Understand the power play—where to shoot, you know, where does it run through. He hasn’t been here a lot for that part but, you know, he’s gonna have to pick it up quick. On the defensive side of things it’s just angles. Like that goal, the second one. I thought he did a not bad job he keeps the guy low and outside on his backhand. The guy happens to wrap it around. I don’t think that’s a poor play by the D. Where it got muddled is when he went to cut him off at the far post his stick, I think, got stuck in [Jeremy Swayman] so, you know, you got to clean that up but how he played the play was fine and that’s what he has to do if you can’t end it in the corner. So, you know, I think there’s some learning curves in that part of it. Transition game, being the value in every touch I think is the message to him. Every touch he has to value. It’s like when [Matt Grzelcyk] came up. That’s your bread and butter, it’s going to be, you know, passing the puck up the ice and giving the forwards some transition opportunities in those areas. He has to make sure he’s very clean with those otherwise if he’s not then most teams are going to prefer a bigger body to do the other things. So, that’s where he has to be good and we’ll keep working with him,” said head coach Bruce Cassidy.