Caps 4, Leafs 2

02-25-12 Caps Postgame Locker Room
Caps players Jeff Halpern, Keith Aucoin, Mike Green, Michal Neuvirth, Marcus Johansson and Alex Ovechkin address the media after 4-2 win over Maple Leafs


Awesome win over Leafs and Ovechkin definitely gave the team big momentum after returning from the injury. Let's hope it will continue after the second victory for Caps in 2 back-to-back games. Ovi finishes with 2 assists and 10 shots with 5 of them on goal.


Ovechkin stats after the 1st:

1 assist, +1, total ice time 05:59, 8 shifts, average 00:44, even 05:59, 1 shot on goal, 1 attempt blocked

After 2nd:

2 assists, +2, total ice time 11:48, 14 shifts, average 00:50, even 11:48, 4 shots on goal, 3 attempts blocked, 2 missed, 1 takeaway

Final:

2 assists, +2, total ice time 17:04, 20 shifts, average 00:51, PP 01:15, even 15:49, 5 shots on goal, 3 attempts blocked, 2 missed, 1 takeaway

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Ovechkin scores on return from injury

Caps 4, Habs 1.


Alex Ovechkin sneaks down low, and blasts a one time pass through Price for a 3 goal lead.

Kravchuk Igor ‏ @KravchukIgor

I'm not sure if anybody did see it when PK Subban sort of backed off on Ovi's goal instead of blocking that shot,PK was on shooting lane!!!

Kravchuk Igor ‏ 

@ove_tj_kin_news Mike Keenan used to bench players for not blocking shots or for flamingo (blocking shot by staying on one leg)!

Kravchuk Igor ‏ @KravchukIgor

What a pack movement by Habs on that shorthanded goal,careless play by Ovi's led to this goal against.

That was Ovi's giveaway #2...



Ovechkin's stats after the 1st:

Total ice time 07:00, 7 shifts, average 01:00, PP 01:08, even 05:52, 2 attempts blocked, 2 hits

After 2nd:

1 goal, +1, total ice time 13:44, 18 shifts, average 00:45, PP 04:11, even 09:33, 3 shots on goal, 2 attempts blocked, 2 hits, 1 giveaway, 1 blocked shot

Final:

1 goal, +1, total ice time 17:43, 22 shifts, average 00:48, PP 05:54, even 11:49, 3 shots on goal, 2 attempts blocked, 2 hits, 2 giveaways, 1 blocked shot

Caps players Brooks Laich, Jason Chimera, Michal Neuvirth, Alex Ovechkin and Mathieu Perreault address the media after a 4-1 win at Verizon Center.

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Alex Ovechkin is back

Ovechkin (via Capitals Insider):

“I just tried a couple of days ago skating and last night I don’t feel well. Today I feel normal.

It is frustrating, especially in this period of time in the season. I was in a situation [where] I can’t help my teammates, I can’t help the team to win. So it was kind of bad feelings. Right now I feel normal and ready to go.

Via Stephen Whyno:

Asked if he'd be playing even if the Caps led the Southeast Division by 10 points and not chasing a playoff spot, Ovechkin said, “Yeah.”

“Even if you have something big, you still want to be in and help the team,” Ovechkin said. “But if you can't help the team and you know you're not going to be like a hundred or 80 percent, it's not going to be worth it.”

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Caps prospect Kuznetsov injured

Uploaded by KHLofficialvideo on Feb 24, 2012 (H/t to @SlavaMalamud)

According to Sport-Express, preliminary diagnosis for Kuznetsov is torn LCLs.

After the game press-conference:

Q.:How serious is Kuznetsov's injury?
Head Coach Belousov: We are trying to find out now.

The Press Service of HC "Tractor" Chelyabinsk 02/24/2012:

The injury sustained by the Tractor's forward at the 59th minute of the game vs Spartak was not serious.

Immediately after the game Zhenya was taken to the hospital where he had a magnetic resonance imaging of the knee. The MRI examination revealed slight damage to the lateral collateral ligaments(LCL). Kuznetsov will be ready for the first playoff game in the Gagarin Cup, which will be held on March 1st in Chelyabinsk.

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More on Kuznetsov's contract negotiations

Sport-Express has learned that the latest round of contract negotiations between Tractor and their star player Yeugeny Kuznetsov has ended at impasse. The management of the club and player's representatives could not reach a compromise. According to unofficial information the last offer from Chelyabinsk was at $2.5 million for next season. However Kuznetsov's representatives continued to insist on a somewhat larger amount.

Kuznetsov's salary for this season is about a $1 million. Note that the player himself has not decided where to continue his career. The Washington Capitals, who own the rights to 19-year-old forward in the NHL, also expect to see Kuznetsov with them next season.


According to Sports.ru, Yevgeny Kuznetsov agents are in the talks with another KHL team Ufa "Salavat Yulaev". In Ufa, Kuznetsov is seen as a possible replacement to Alexander Radulov, who is most likely to leave to the NHL this summer.

Update 2/24/2012:

Tractor's General Manager Vladimir Krechin called Sport-Express yesterday. "Your post about the negotiations with Yevgeny Kuznetsov that ended at an impasse, caused a storm in the city. My phone couldn't stop ringing," told Krechin to SE reporter Yuri Golyshak. "In fact the negotiations are still going. We just decided to temporary pause the negotiations and return to the table after the season will be over, so that our star player will not be affected by that during playoffs.

Source: http://news.sport-express.ru/2012-02-25/495664/

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How to count Ovechkins

wikiHow:

Having difficulties sleeping? One method that has been suggested over the ages is to count something. For some cultures, the famous symbol to count at night is that of the sheep. It's a visualization exercise that will create a gentle rhythm that may help you to fall asleep by banishing other thoughts and worries. And a good night's sleep is the best guarantee of good health, allowing you to wake up refreshed, ready to tackle any problems that might otherwise have kept you awake.

As probably a lot you know, the root of Ovechkin's(Овечкин) last name is Greek's Ovechka(Овечка) that was borrowed in Russian language from Latin, which means Lamb or Sheep in English, Oveja in Spanish or Ovino in Italian.

Now you can get that Russian tweet:

Александр Овечкин, чтобы уснуть, считает хоккеистов.

Alexander Ovechkin is counting hockey players in order to fall asleep.

:-)

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