University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks senior forward Drake Caggiula is a dynamic player that has a knack for bringing the fans out of their seats with his highlight-reel goals. If you don’t believe me, all you have to do is search for his name on Youtube.com and will find a few goals that are worthy of an ESPY.
Tonight was no different.
The senior from Whitby, Ontario, scored a highlight-reel, game-winning goal that ended up being the play of the day on ESPN’s Sports Center. Caggiula’s nifty goal broke a 1-1 deadlock and led the Fighting Hawks to their 18th win of the year. If I had to guess, Caggiula’s goal will end up being in the top-five goals of the season.
While Caggiula makes it look easy. Scoring goals like this are harder than it looks. Caggiula was asked what he looks for when he attempts a goal like this.
“I just tried to read their feet – whatever way they’re facing,” Caggiula said. “If I can get them to open up their feet and get their feet planted, it’s hard to change direction once their feet are facing the boards, instead of keeping them faced up the ice.
“Anytime you can get the d-man to turn his body to face the boards one way or another, it’s easy to change the angle. You can’t cross over that way too much. It’s something I try to do and I work on it in practice.”
Flashy goals aside, Caggiula is a very modest player and took it in stride. Caggiula is alway quick to credit his teammates for his success on the ice.
“They’re all fun to score,” Caggiula said. “You got the highlight-reel (goals), you got all of the tweets. It’s a lot of fun. It’s just the way hockey is. Sometimes you get a goal off your face. Sometimes you get a goal like that. You take them any way you can. You’re not going to complain either way. I just try to do what I can, and sometimes it goes in like that, or sometimes it’s just a shot from the point with a screen.”
Cagguila continued: “Guys helped me out, too. It’s not like I did it all on my own. Stecher made a good play off the glass. Every time there’s been a good play from someone else to allow me to do that. So, I can’t take all of the credit.”
“He keeps one-upping himself all of the time,” UND head coach Brad Berry said. “He’s a dynamic player. He makes plays and you can call that a game-breaking play. Again, he’s a competitive guy that took the team on his back on that play.”
With the win, UND improves to 18-2-2 and plays the Under 18 team next Saturday night in an exhibition game.
Drake Caggiula’s 13th career GWG ties him with @dkristo7, @leegoren37 and @caryeades for sixth all-time at UND. pic.twitter.com/vHkaOiyhsC
— North Dakota MHockey (@UNDmhockey) January 3, 2016
