Anaheim Ducks: Max Jones Finally Scores His First NHL Goal

Anaheim Ducks fans witness a moment that has been months in the making when Max Jones scored his first NHL goal against the Montreal Canadiens.

Last night, Max Jones walked into Honda Center with a chip on his shoulder. Since his call-up from the San Diego Gulls, the 21-year-old had yet to score a goal in any of the 16 previous games he has played with the Anaheim Ducks. Game after game, the young left wing was presented with numerous opportunities, yet found himself snake bitten.

At this point in his career, Jones in on the verge of securing himself a full-time spot on the Anaheim Ducks roster next season. So far, he has been a phenomenal asset to the Ducks, but the fact that he had yet to net his first goal hung over his head like a dark cloud. He began to feel the pressure and wanted to prove that he belonged in the NHL, but the more he tried, the more unlucky he became.

In a post-game interview, Max Jones said this about the weeks the led up to scoring his first NHL goal:

"“So much pressure and stress was on my shoulders just from trying to get that first one. It’s not a fun time to go through something like that. The sigh of relief really felt good.”"

Perhaps a moment that was met with more anticipation than the eagerly awaited goal from Troy Terry on January 19, 2019, Ducks Nation crossed their fingers every night and pleaded with the hockey gods on behalf of Max Jones. His days of being snake bitten came to an end in an incredible way when he finally scored his first NHL goal on March 8, 2019.

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The Anaheim Ducks Devastate the Montreal Canadiens and Then Some…

On Friday night, the Anaheim Ducks hosted the Montreal Canadiens for the two teams very last meeting of the season. Daniel Sprong and Adam Henrique gave the Anaheim Ducks an early lead in the first, but Paul Byron cut their lead in half with a wicked wrister near the end of the period.

The Anaheim Ducks came into the second period, eager to win. A power-play goal from Devin Shore gave them a 2 goal lead. Shea Weber waisted no time, scoring his 200th NHL career goal, on the power play, during the Jaycob Megna minor halfway through the second.

Troy Terry and Corey Perry, both relentless in their pursuit to win, gave the Anaheim Ducks a 5-2 lead late after their two goals late in the second period. With one more period to go, and a win just within grasp, the Ducks refused to let their feet off the gas.

While the beginning of the period was rather quiet, Rickard Rakell and Adam Henrique scored two goals within about a minute of one another, giving the Ducks an astounding 7-2 lead over a team who they would likely not have defeated if this game had been scheduled just a few weeks beforehand.

The Moment We’ve All Been Waiting For

Less than 30 seconds remained on the clock, and with the score already 7-2, the Anaheim Ducks were determined not to stop playing the game until the final horn sounded. At this point in the game, the Montreal Canadiens are too far from winning, but a third goal would have definitely lessened the blow.

In the Anaheim Ducks zone, the Canadiens take the puck behind the net. Jordan Weal throws the puck in front of John Gibson, hoping one of his teammates can slam it home. Nevertheless, the stealthy Josh Manson, who is doing a good job of protecting the front of the net, spins the puck away from the Canadien in waiting.

Ahead, he sees Max Jones. With only the net in his sights, he cuts through the Montreal Canadiens defense and drives the puck up the ice. Carey Price is in position, waiting to make the save, but Jones outsmarts him, wiring a wicked wrister through the high slot, giving the Anaheim Ducks an 8-2 lead with just seconds left on the clock.

Under normal circumstances, it is usually a careless act to celebrate when you’re up by a score of 8-2. However, Max Jones deserved every moment of that celebration and for Ducks Nation, his first NHL goal was well worth the wait.

With arms and eyes raised to the heavens, you can see the weight of the world get lifted off of his shoulder. Not many young players can say that they scored their first NHL goal against Carey Price, one of the classiest and the highest paid NHL goaltender in the league.

What made the goal even more special was seeing his teammate and friend, Troy Terry, and his reaction from the bench. Terry also knows the pressure and stress that comes with scoring your first NHL goal and watching Max score his first goal seemed to be almost as exciting for him as it was for Jones.

The floodgates have likely opened now that Jones had checked his first NHL goal off a list of career milestones. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see Jones on the score sheet more often now that the pressure of scoring his first is finally off of his back. What a wonderful moment to witness, and although the season is almost over, with the influx of youth that will likely fill the roster next year, next season will hopefully be filled with many more moments just like this one.

Last night was an incredible game from the Anaheim Ducks. It’s not often you see them outscore a team 8-2. While Max Jones first goal was an incredible moment, we want to know what your favorite moment from last night’s game was. Leave us a comment down below!