Hitchcock: Ovechkin gives and takes. He doesn't whine or cry.

By Tom Reed, Columbus Dispatch, Nov. 3, 2009:

Hitchcock is a great admirer of Ovechkin's game -- a rare mix of skill, speed and nastiness. Ovechkin seem to relish a huge hit as much as he does a big goal. He does both with a smile.

On Sunday, Ovechkin rattled defenseman Rusty Klesla and Chimera with first-period hits.

"He had fun with it," Hitchcock said. "He got banged up on an unfortunate play. When you look at the start of the game, we were the ones on our asses . . . We had had enough of that so we started to hit back, which I liked.

"He's a very unique player because he gives it and he takes it. He doesn't whine or cry about getting hit. He has fun in that role because the more you give it to him, the more he gives it back.

"At least get him a little distracted so he's doing something other than putting the puck in the back of the net. He was coming after us and having fun and we were coming after him and having fun."

Ovechkin did not blame Chimera for shoving him near the bench, calling it “a moment of the game." Ovechkin could be seen flexing his shoulder as he, Chimera and Boll skated to the penalty box. He also got knocked to the ice by Raffi Torres several minutes later.

Chimera said Capitals defenseman Shaone Morrisonn challenged him to a fight late in the third period.

"One guy challenged me, the Morrisonn guy," Chimera said." I don’t know his first name. he’s a defenseman. It was going into overtime. I wasn’t going to fight then . . . I’m not the guy to turn down a fight, but we’re headed into overtime at that point. I play in overtime. I wanted to make something happen in overtime."

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Shaone is da-man! And he is not known as a fighter, but was ready to drop the mitts for his teammate. Chimera didn't mention that Matt Bradley invited him too. I guess he didn't have excuse for that one. What a wuss.


Couldn't say it better than Blue Jackets fans themselves (a reaction to Tom Reed's post):

• Chimera's a chump. Always whining about being the target of a dirty hit, and then running from fights.
  
  Go play golf.
  
  Posted by Chuck | November 3, 2009 2:58 PM
  


• Rare moment, note the date. I have to agree with Chuck. Chimmer said himself when you do stupid stuff you have to answer for it. He cried the blues that Scuds wouldn't answer for his hit. Then Chimmer retaliates on Ovie over a hard clean hit and to the view of the Caps (and grant it may not be fact)but appeared to have hurt their star player. Hey you got to answer for that. If he got AO back with a good hit himself then alls well in the hockey universe but he didn't. And I highly doubt the Caps waited till the end of regulation to call out Chimmer. Jason's the toughest guy on the ice when a linesman is in between him and the other guy or when he's safely on the bench. He is a chump and a whiner, nice call Chuck.
  
  Posted by Chuck U. | November 3, 2009 3:36 PM

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