Who's gonna leave the ice first?

 By Slava Malamud, Sport-Express, Nov. 10, 2008:

"I would like to find the cause of his slump, but, to be honest, I can't", said Bruce Boudreau. "I think he plays with the same dedication as before, his enthusiasm is also visible... Sometimes people have such the life segments. And he'll be out of it, for sure."

From your point of view, what is the main reason, is it psychological or Ovechkin simply stopped?
He is 23 years old, why would he stop! If it is something psychological, I don't know about it because I can't get inside his head. I think he is the same man, and I'm not going to create a problem where it does not exist. The problem is that it is always expected a lot from him. People believe that he should have 12 goals in 12 games, and this is not yet happening. But in the game with Carolina he had three assists, and I don't know if we can ask for more. Ovechkin will start scoring, don't worry about it. And for now he helps the team in other ways.

Do you see any difference in his game?
And do you see it? What is the difference?

The puck is not going to the net.
And what is it associated to?

I'd like to hear your opinion. For example, do you think it's a matter of concentration or confidence?
You need to ask him this question. I have no reason to think that the lack of goals is related to the concentration or confidence. Anyway he didn't approached me and said "I don't think I can play in the NHL."

In a game with Carolina you reunited the "golden line" of Team Russia. Was it done intentionally to awake Alexander?
I don't want to use the word "awake" because he is not asleep.

Or maybe you did it to put him in more comfortable environment?
I think he feels comfortable with anyone who he plays with. This was done because in three of the last six games we scored just one goal. We needed to improve the combinations, find the right "mixture" and we decided to create this line combination. We have a lot of obvious reasons why we don't want to see this line to be permanent.

But Ovechkin with Semin looked very good. Is there a chance that they will play together again?
Chances are.

Do you like this line combination?
I liked it in every first minute of their three minute shifts. It seemed to me that they looked at each other and waited on who's gonna leave the ice first.

LOL. I remember the commentator said something about it when at some point Fedorov just left the ice. "Ok, kids, I am rejuvenated here, in Washington, but that's enough for me." He probably had seen it in Quebec too unless Team Russia's Head Coach kept two Alexes on a leash.

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