Boudreau: The reason Ovechkin is the best player on the planet...
Caps 4, Oilers 2. Watch Ovechkin scoring very atypical (at least the first one) to him goals, based totally on his unwavering strength of will.
Ovi is the second star of the day by NHL.com
Ovi talks after the game
Tarik El-Bashir, Washington Post, Dec. 20, 2009:
EDMONTON, ALBERTA -- After watching the Edmonton Oilers hold his team scoreless through two periods, Washington Capitals Coach Bruce Boudreau resorted to his last option: He closed the door to the visitors' dressing room at Rexall Place and blasted his best players.
Alex Ovechkin took his coach's words to heart, then went out and scored twice in the first 6 minutes 37 seconds of the third period, sparking a 4-2 victory that ended the Capitals' 13-year drought in this building.
"I don't like yelling at [Ovechkin], but sometimes you see guys who look tired and down and they need a little boost," Boudreau said. "I tried to give it to him and challenged him. I started him right off the bat. Instead of saying, 'Woe is me, why is the coach yelling at me?' he took up the challenge and said, 'I'll show you,' and went out there and got three points in the third and led us to a victory."
In addition to posting two goals and assist in the third period of the Caps' 4-2 victory, the two-time MVP directed 13 shots at the Oilers' net (only six got through) in the final 20 minutes, which was likely his finest period of the season.
With hundreds of fans wearing his red No. 8 jersey and rooting him on, Ovechkin was dominant from the opening faceoff in the third period.
Just 32 seconds in, Ovechkin scored his first goal in three games to cut the Capitals' deficit to 2-1. Edmonton goalie Jeff Deslauriers (38 saves) stopped Ovechkin's wraparound attempt, but Ovechkin stayed with it and stuffed the rebound underneath the goalie's pads.
"We felt that if we could score one, right now they are a fragile team," Boudreau said. "They might go into a shell and retreat."
Boudreau was right. About six minutes later, Ovechkin tied the game by again putting in his own rebound. The two-time MVP gathered the puck in the neutral zone, streaked into Oilers' zone with speed and unloaded a blast that Deslauriers kicked out with his pad, but the rebound came right back to Ovechkin, who buried it to the short side.
In all, Ovechkin directed 13 shots on net in the final 20 minutes, including four that were blocked and two that went wide.
*There must have been 1,000 or more red No. 8 jerseys in the crowd. His fans erupted into a loud cheer after his second goal, which was kind of strange to hear in an away rink.
Corey Masisak, TWT, Dec. 20, 2009:
So Alex Ovechkin and Alexander Semin were the last two members of the Washington Capitals on the ice for the third period. As it turns out, coach Bruce Boudreau had just given it to his team during the second intermission pretty good.
They -- well, Ovechkin (more on that in a minute) -- put on quite a show in the final 20 minutes here to best the Edmonton Oilers.
"It was one of those things where Bruce comes in and inspires us and Alex is our leader," Mike Green said. "When he brings it, we follow. Alex raised everybody up tonight."
Boudreau said he challenged the Ovechkin-Backstrom-Semin trio, and then put them on the ice to start the period (Brooks Laich's line started the first two) for them to show him.
Ovechkin scored in 32 seconds.
Boudreau: "The reason [Ovechkin] is the best player on the planet is he's totally old school. Instead of saying, 'Oh, woe is my. Why is the coach yelling at me?' He took up the challenge and said, 'I'll show you.' "
Ovechkin attempted 14 shots in the third period. The ENTIRE Edmonton team attempted 18.
Posts
1 comments:
Wouldn't it be nice it "bringin' it" was more of a team effort. Sometimes Ovie can't do it alone or needs a boost himself. The other guys need to find their higher gear too when things aren't working out.
Post a Comment