50 goals and counting for Capitals goal- scoring machine Alex Ovechkin
There it was, Alex Ovechkin’s 50th goal, screaming off the blade that seems to make pucks invisible, rocketing from an angle that felt near impossible. His linemate’s feed was deflected in traffic and skittered from its target, but like always, the forward adjusted. His legs slowed down. His arms reared back. Some several feet behind his right skate, the shot moved toward history.
Only 10 months has passed since Barry Trotz accepted the Washington Capitals’ head coaching job, and in that time he has watched Ovechkin banish all the supposed warning labels that preceded the coach’s arrival.
Unteachable? Lazy? Killer of bench bosses?
Try a Hart Trophy contender. The engine of a surging team, bound for the playoffs. And now the new owner of both his sixth 50- goal season, something only five other NHL players have accomplished, and 472 career goals, which ties Peter Bondra for most in franchise history — in 206 fewer games.
“It’s way better than expectations coming in, all the things that people were telling me were false,” Trotz said. “It’s been really enlightening to me, and I’m trying to make it enlightening to everyone else, that this is a good hockey player that can do some special things.”
The latest came Tuesday night against goaltender Cam Ward — who had little hope, not while this generation’s greatest goal- scorer had an angle and space — 11 minutes 12 seconds into the first period of a 4- 2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Afterwards, while his glove swooped through air, Ovechkin twirled around and kissed his fist.
Chants of “M- V- P, M- V- P” poured from Verizon Center’s upper bowl, and then evolved into one loud roar. On the bench, trainer Craig Leydig took the puck, wrapped white tape around the rim, wrote an inscription in blue permanent marker and stuffed it into his pocket, for presentation later. In front of Leydig, when the video screen honoured Ovechkin’s achievement, he waved into the camera, removed his glove and waved some more.
“We’re sort of immune to it now, really,” defenceman Mike Green said. “We don’t expect it, but it’s amazing how he does it every year.”
Ovechkin grinned before cameras after the game, joking about still feeling 21 years old even though the future is more uncertain every year. Ovechkin is 29 now, his hair flecked with grey.
“It’s always nice, but every year you don’t know what to expect from yourself, and how you’re going to play,” he said. “Maybe luck isn’t going to be on your side or something happens. But everything’s doing well right now.”
The Capitals will now turn their attention to the road ahead: each of their final five opponents have either already clinched playoff berths or hold legitimate hopes.
The Capitals have 94 points — holding down the first Eastern Conference wild- card spot, just a point back of the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders in the Metropolitan Division — and are in good shape to make it. But with the Montreal Canadiens up Thursday at Bell Centre and the Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins and Rangers still to come, they face the Eastern Conference’s hardest closing schedule.
“If we make it to the playoffs, these are the teams you’re going to face,” centre Nicklas Backstrom said. “I think it’s perfect for us. We’ve got to fight to get into the playoffs, and you play against playoff teams. It’s perfect.” It was nice to savour Ovechkin’s achievement, at least for one night.
As Ovechkin posed with the taped puck and reporters mobbed him at his stall after the game, Matt Niskanen leaned against a wall and looked across the locker- room. The defenceman had faced Ovechkin for three- plus seasons in Pittsburgh before signing last summer with Washington, and now he had notched the secondary assist for the 50th goal.
So, like many of his teammates, Niskanen stepped back and placed the accomplishment into context. He spoke of NHL- wide drops in scoring this season, and the grandeur of how Ovechkin now stood 10 goals above anyone else. He praised Ovechkin’s attitude and work ethic in practice. He nodded toward the horde and smirked in awe.
“He wants to be the man,” Niskanen said, “and frankly he is.”