One of these guys scored in a shootout seven years ago… (Photo: CS Smith/flickr)

On the site, I’ve been doing a “One Year Ago Today” series.  Earlier today, I posted that if this were 2011, it would be a Saturday afternoon and the Rangers would be playing the Flyers at MSG.

But sometimes a day is remembered more than a year later. For instance, this day seven years ago when the Rangers were also at the Garden for an afternoon game. This one against the Washington Capitals.

It’s known as “The Move” among players according to a post on Blueshirts United this morning. I honestly don’t remember watching it live (although I’m sure I did) but can repeat the call as if it happened yesterday. Marek Malik might not be remembered for a lot of things in his NHL career but on this date in 2005, he went down in Rangers history:

That shootout is still the longest to this day. Watching each player take their turn and having no idea who would end it is exactly what the NHL had in mind when using it to end tie games. (At least, I assume it crossed their minds. Knowing the NHL, they might’ve just gotten lucky with this one.)

I know a lot of people are against the shootout. Personally, I’m split. But if the shootout was like this each time, I think I would be okay with it. To me the shootout is a show. And nothing says show like a “circus move”.