Is this what could happen in Vancouver?

The game against Toronto is a good example of what could happen in Vancouver.

Imagine the Russians playing against Finns in quarterfinals in Vancouver, their goalie is hot as Vesa Toskala yesterday, and the Russians are out. Just like Capitals team Russia is not known to be good defensively.

Talking from goalie prospective US Olympic team will have a good chance with Ryan Miller in the net in Vancouver.

Here is a good review of Ovi's play by James Mirtle, Globe and Mail, Dec. 12, 2009:

In the early going, it had looked like Ovechkin was going to leave the Leafs speechless.

Ovechkin racked up three points by midway through the game – including a power-play goal just two minutes in – but was then on the ice for a couple Leafs goals against as Toronto stormed back. He looked particularly poor on the Leafs' fifth goal of the night, allowing Lee Stempniak to break in nearly untouched at the tail end of another of his customary long shifts.

It was the second time in three weeks Washington lost in Toronto on a Saturday night on Hockey Night in Canada, and afterward, Leafs coach Ron Wilson commented on how his team's style compared to the high-flying Capitals'.

“We don't have the absolute skill that Washington has so our attention to detail has to be so much stronger than what Washington would be paying attention to,” Wilson said. “I'm talking about having our sticks positioned, knowing where they are at all times. I don't think they're worried about, at any point in the game, about defending – they're thinking about scoring the next goal. And we have to kind of do a bit of both.”

For all his defensive shortcomings, Ovechkin's offensive production continues to be incredible. Because he has already missed eight games due to injury and suspension, he remains well back of the NHL's points leader (Joe Thornton), but this was his 25th game of the season and the early goal gives him 21 on the campaign.

Assuming Ovechkin doesn't miss any more time, he is still on pace for his second 60-goal season and third consecutive Rocket Richard Trophy. And, given the games missed, that would make him just the fifth player in NHL history –along with Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Brett Hull and Jarri Kuri –to score 60 goals while playing less than 75 games in a season.

Not that that was much consolation on this night.

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