Karlsson Scores Shootout Winner
William Karlsson was a bystander watching his first NHL shootout Tuesday night when he heard a call.
"Wild Bill!"
Instead of choosing Ducks leader Ryan Getzlaf, Coach Bruce Boudreau said he decided on the fly to play the wild card after two of three right-handed Ducks' shooters failed to beat Philadelphia Flyers goalie Steve Mason.
"He's got some great offensive vision and he can make some plays," Boudreau said of Karlsson. "I was looking for a left-handed guy, and he was the guy I thought would be the hottest."
A night after scoring two goals in his second NHL game, the 21-year-old Swedish rookie delivered the Ducks a 4-3 victory (2-1 in the shootout) by burying a shot that closed a season-opening Eastern Conference road trip with a 3-1 record while the Flyers (0-2-2) remained winless.
"You just have to smile about the situation and think you're going to be the hero," Karlsson said. "I knew I was going to shoot. I was just trying to find open net. It's been a good roadie."
