A Look Back: Paul Bissonnette’s Only Goal Of The Season: A Game Winner
Everyone’s favorite enforcer, Paul Bissonnette, is known for his Twitter antics off the ice and fighting ability on it. When Bissonnette scores, teammates and fans take a little more enjoyment in the goal because it happens so rarely. But, the goal Bissonnette scored nine months ago today was much more than that; it was a game winner.
In the second period of a 2-2 game against the Buffalo Sabres, Phoenix Coyotes forward Kyle Chipchura took a shot at the net that was blocked by the leg of Sabres defenseman Andrej Sekera. Bissonnette, skating up the ice, swept the rolling puck under Buffalo goaltender Jonas Enroth to make the game 3-2 Coyotes. (The goal can be watched in all its glory here.) The Coyotes would go on to win the game 4-2.
Bissonnette has played 120 games in the three seasons with the Phoenix Coyotes. In that time, Bissonnette has scored five goals and two assists for seven total points and an even plus/minus ratio. Bissonnette also accumulated 229 penalty minutes, with the Coyotes, which average out to almost two penalty minutes per game. The majority of the penalty minutes are fighting majors (obviously). He can also throw the body around to the tune 270 hits over the last three seasons.
Bissonnette has scored just one goal and no assists each of the previous two seasons after setting career highs in his first season with the Coyotes. To this day, Bissonnette’s career highs in goals (3), assists (2), points (5), penalty minutes (117) and shots (25) all came during the 2009-2010 season.
Bissonnette was claimed off waivers from the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 1, 2009. He played 15 games with Pittsburgh recording one assist and 22 penalty minutes. Bissonnette was originally drafted as a defenseman but eventually was moved to forward.
NOTE: The next installment of “A Look Back” will be Monday, Aug. 20.
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