Ovechkin’s goals not always a thing of beauty now
Scoring goals has never looked all that hard for Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin, no stranger to highlight reels. But through the first 14 games of the season, the majority of Ovechkin’s goals haven’t been a dazzling show of his skill or speed.
Four of Ovechkin’s seven goals have come from in front of the net, scoring by muscling the puck past a goaltender, tipping in a defenceman’s shot or punching in a rebound. Two others have been from his sweet spot on the power play.
“A goal is a goal,” Ovechkin said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a beautiful goal or a redirected goal or find the rebound, still it counts.”
Ovechkin’s transition to becoming a consistent net-front presence and greasy goal-scorer is welltimed, as in Monday’s practice, Capitals Coach Barry Trotz had Ovechkin on a line with grinding centre Jay Beagle and winger Brett Connolly. Washington played at Columbus on Tuesday night.
Ovechkin said last week that as he’s gotten deeper into his career, he’s had to adjust to scoring becoming more challenging.
Teams are better at defending as a five-man unit, and goaltenders are bigger and better. Whatever line Ovechkin is skating on will also be matched against the opposition’s top defensive pairing.
“You can (see) how many times there are two-on-ones in the game right now; it’s not a lot,” Ovechkin said. “Obviously, you have to see what’s out there and try to find a different way.”
Said Trotz: “On the power play, he’s going to get that spot and those looks, like he always does. But he’s going to the net. You’re seeing him get more tips at the net. You’re seeing him get more what we call seconds. ... Just like anything, I think you evolve to how the game evolves. The game is not allowing you to get a lot of odd-man rushes, not allowing you to cut laterally and that, so it’s got to be sort of north. And when it’s in the offensive zone, teams are doing a really good job defensively that you have to go to those hard areas, and he’s doing it.
“He’s just adjusting his game to what the other team is taking away other options. He’s using another option to score.”
Ovechkin said that getting in the habit of scoring goals will be helpful for the post-season, too, when even less time and space is allowed and gaining position in front of the net is even more important.
“When he goes to the net, no one’s moving him,” Trotz said.
“He’s still got the exceptionally good eye-hand co-ordination. He’s got that quick release. He can box people out with his big frame and find those seconds, and then when he does, he’s a great goal-scorer.”