Nicklas Bäckström and Alexander Ovetjkin landed in Vancouver

Mats Wennerholm, Aftonbladet, Feb. 14, 2010:

WASHINGTON, DC. The psychological war has been going on for several months now.



Foto: JIMMY WIXTRÖM


Nicklas Bäckström and Alexander Ovetjkin landed in Vancouver last night, Swedish time. And then they separated their paths for the first time this season.

"If we'll meet in the Olympics, I will kill him," this is how Ovetjkin was quoted in Sportbladet Hockey Bible which goes on sale tomorrow.

Alexander Ovetjkin is one of the Vancouver Olympics absolute biggest stars in all categories. Rivaling him is the Olympics host's son Sidney Crosby in hockey-mad Canada. The rivalry between them was noticeable in what was so far the best NHL game when Washington and Pittsburgh met in awesome confrontation between the two superstars.

Sidney Crosby scored twice and Ovetjkin responded with three goals and changed the score from 1-4 to 5-4 to Washington's victory.



But behind the scenes, in Washington's own locker room, there has been a quiet psychological war going on between the team's two biggest stars.

"Yes, we've had our own little trash talking and it has only grown the closer the Olympics have come," says Nicklas Bäckström. "You can say this, Ovetjkin will be very happy to win in Vancouver, and he shows it too. So we'll see what will happen if we are going to meet there."

Once the tournament starts, Sweden and Russia will play in two different groups, so it could be only in the elimination round when Sweden and Russia may face each other. And if so, to be knocked out by his best friend Nicklas Bäckström is Ovetjkin's worst nightmare. "He mentions it every now and then," said the Swede.

But off the ice Nicklas Bäckström and Alexander Ovetjkin are almost inseparable. The 116-pages thick Hockey Bible on the Olympic that comes out tomorrow has the story how the friendship started and what they do when they spend their free time together.

Nicklas Bäckström says that Ovetjkin remembers almost everything from the hockey games he played and he will pay back if he meets Bäckström in the Olympics.

"He will do absolutely everything to win the match and he will try to tackle me if he gets the chance. He has already said he will. A while ago he told me that he didn't forget that I hit him in the first period at the 2006 World Championships in Riga. I asked him, "How the hell do you remember that?" Naturally I do not remember any hit, but he seems to remember everything. He has a scarely good memory," says Backstrom.



It was interesting to meet the two for a few quiet days in Washington earlier in the season. Alexander Ovetjkin was in great spirits as he usually is. The Russian has grown into one of the NHL's biggest stars. Not just because he is a fantastic hockey player, but he does as much for the show, both on and off the ice. He is not afraid to say what he thinks and his remarks often create the headlines around the league.

That makes him the NHL's darling and he is the great poster boy for the NHL's headquarters in New York to promote hockey in both the U.S. and Canada. Not bad for the Russian to steal the lead. The question is now whether he'd manage to win the Olympic gold as well.

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