by Madison Neuner
In overtime at the 2019 Beanpot semifinal against Boston University, freshman forward Tyler Madden received the puck on a breakaway and made scoring look easy as he masterfully sent it to the back of the net. But he wasn’t done yet. Madden proceeded to slide on his back and make snow angels on the ice, a move New England Sports Network called “well-seasoned.” He slid into the wall and was mobbed by his teammates in a massive celebratory huddle. The game was won.
So, to recap: In one epic night, Madden was famous for netting the game-winning goal at Beanpot, but even more for his post-goal moves.
And that’s not even his favorite goal-scoring celebration.
Timothy Ennin has similarly turned heads with his post-goal celebration. At the men’s soccer team’s game against BU in September, Ennin had a double-overtime penalty kick at 109:46, with 14 seconds before the game would end in a tie. He sent a ground ball in the bottom left corner as BU’s goalie dove to the right — winning the game for the Huskies. He ran to the left corner of the field, pulling off a backflip as his team followed, jumping in an excited huddle. As the commentators at the game said, Ennin was “flipping out” over his goal.
Madden and Ennin, both sophomores, are a couple of the varsity athletes at Northeastern with whom I talked about their goal-scoring celebrations. Let’s see what they have to say.
Lauren Rowe, Field Hockey
Q: Do you have a goal-scoring celebration?
A: Kind of. Most of the time the team will come together and just kind of run on, hugs all around kind of thing. But when we went to Argentina this summer, because my surname’s Rowe, one of the girls made a rowing action,so now sometimes one of my teammates will do it or I’ll do it.
Q: So do other members of the team have specific things that they do when they score? Or do you all get in a huddle?
A: Yeah, it’s kind of just in a huddle and then one of the girls on the bench will, like, go down the bench high-fiving everyone, and it’s just kind of getting that whole team atmosphere around. So the whole team thing, not more of an individual thing.
Q: Is there a goal-scoring celebration that your team shared that was more memorable?
A: The second game against Monmouth had gone into overtime, and we managed to score within two minutes of overtime. So to be able to shut that down that quickly, and that sort of feeling of relief because the pressure is a lot higher. We drop down to seven a side as well in overtime, so it’s, you’ve played 60 minutes, you get down to seven a side, you know, it’s going to be a tough time and first goal wins and to score that goal was just like such a great feeling, that relief of it being over. So it’s more in those like stressful situations.
Q: There’s an ethics argument about goal-scoring celebrations being unsportsmanlike. What’s your take on that opinion?
A: I think that — I think it’s fair to celebrate because you’ve achieved something. I think if you’re purposely trying to rub it in the face with the other team that’s maybe not sportsmanlike. But I definitely think you have a right to celebrate and to a certain degree. We celebrate and we’re just happy that like, as a team of being able to create something.
Timothy Ennin, Men’s Soccer
Q: Do you have a goal-scoring celebration? How did you come up with it?
A: When I was younger I just always used to go on trampolines and try to do a backflip. Most of the times I failed – I tried doing one in my mom’s bedroom and hit my knee; my knee hit my nose. Started crying. That was when I was like, probably like nine or 10. Then I kept practicing on the trampoline. And now I can finally do a backflip.That’s one of my celebrations.
Q: Do you have a favorite or most memorable goal-scoring celebration?
A: A game winner against B.U., I did a cartwheel and then a backflip. There was a video of that one. Yeah, that was pretty dope for us. We played in overtime and there was, like, a couple of seconds left, so that was dope.
Q: What’s your opinion on that idea that people think it’s sometimes unsportsmanlike?
A: Um, I guess it’s just in, like — I guess it would just depend, like if a team’s winning like 4- or 5-0, I don’t think I would celebrate after I score the fifth or sixth goal. But, like, if it’s a close game, like 1-0, 2-0, I’d celebrate. I mean, I put my team up, I’m like, I gotta enjoy the moment, you know.
Chelsea Domond, Women’s Soccer
Q: Do you have a goal-scoring celebration?
A: Not necessarily. Like when I’m before games, I’m always like, “Oh, when I score, I’m going to do this.” But I’m always in the moment. So usually when I score I just run to the next person and hop on them. Like if you notice most of my celebrations are of me, like on top of somebody, because I don’t really have something specific.
Q: That does make sense. Does the rest of your team have goal-scoring celebrations, or do you all just come together?
A: If one of us scores a last minute game-winner or a goal in OT, usually they’re on the floor in disbelief or happiness. And then we all just, like, hop on top of them, but nothing specific.
Q: I’ve heard people say that goal-scoring celebrations are unsportsmanlike. What’s your take on that idea?
A: I don’t think it’s rude to celebrate you scoring. I mean, it’s a confidence booster and if that other team scored as well, like they should be happy to celebrate and get everyone hype. Like when you score and you celebrate that just hypes everyone up for like the next play so that you can keep scoring. So I feel like that shouldn’t be something that’s rude. It’s just a display of happiness, to be honest.
Tyler Madden, Men’s Hockey
Q: Do you have a goal-scoring celebration?
A: I’ve had a couple in the past two years. I had two memorable ones, the canoe or kayak, whatever you want to call it.
I came down, I went back and kind of, like, circled the net and in my mind I just kind of — in the back of my head I knew I was going to do it. So I came down the boards, laid completely flat on the ground for a sec and started paddling.
And then the snow angel one. Other than that I kind of just make stuff up on the spot, go down on one knee, maybe scoop some ice, just get the crowd going.
Q: So how do you come up with it? Is it like an in-the-moment thing or do you prepare in advance?
A: The kayak one was from my grandfather who actually owns a kayak shop, so I’ve always wanted to do that. Whenever I’m in OT I don’t think about it. But like, if I ever get the chance, that’s when I would do it. I ended up scoring, so I pulled it out and that was that.
Andrea Renner, Women’s hockey
Q: Do you have a goal-scoring celebration?
A: Not one in particular. I don’t study them and think, “I’m going to do this on Friday night.” I don’t really do that. It’s more in the moment. It’s that intense feeling that I have for three seconds and whatever it could be, I just kind of do. I’ve always been like that even before Northeastern. So just kind of like in the moment, whatever I feel.
Q: Do you have a favorite that you’ve done in the past?
A: Yeah, I do. Growing up I watched players like Patrick Kane and then Alex Ovechkin. I remember Patrick Kane, I think his grandfather passed away the night that he had a game and he heard about it. So then when he scored, he pointed toward the sky. And I had a similar situation where my grandfather had passed away and I had a game that night and I was like, “Aw man, that’d be so cool.” And I knew I was playing for him and I did end up scoring; I pointed towards the sky and it was just the coolest feeling ever. And I knew he was watching, too. So it was just so special.
Q: What’s your take on the opinion that goal-scoring celebrations can be unsportsmanlike?
A: I’ve thought about that too. My perspective is if you do it in a way that is respectful towards your opponent and you’re not going up to their bench and shoving in their face, but you’re just out there playing the game in the moment and you’re celebrating with your team, I personally don’t think it’s disrespectful.
I know my character and I know my teammates know my character and my character is, on and off the ice, just because I’m intense for three seconds, that doesn’t mean I am. I’m humble, I’m still confident and I love my teammates so much and I know that my teammates understand that I have such a big heart and I’m team-first-oriented. I’m very unselfish, I would say.
Coming to Northeastern, especially our coaching staff, like they want us to play with confidence, but there’s a line between being confident and being cocky for sure. And I know that all of our teammates, we don’t pass that line to becoming cocky. We’re always confident in our abilities. And for some people like me that comes off maybe just adding a celebration for three seconds.
photo by Brian Bae
The Red & Black 