Ovechkin talks to media about being benched

A full transcript is below via Capitals Insider:

Have you talked to Boudreau about being benched late against Anaheim?
“No I didn’t talk to Bruce. Brooks’s line deserve to be in that kind of moment on the ice and they played great last night, no doubt about it.”

Didn’t keep you from having the nice assist on Backstrom’s goal.
“I don’t know if I touched it or not, to be honest with you. I’m happy for Backi. He scored two important goals too. Right now he play well too.”

Do you welcome the idea of Boudreau rewarding lines for playing well?
“Last night they deserved to be there. How I said, after the game, who deserved to be on the ice in that kind of moment, it doesn’t matter who you are, you have to be on the ice.”

What did you say when the TV camera caught you during the timeout and who were they directed to?
“Well, I was pissed off. Of course I want to be in that situation on the ice and you know it doesn’t matter who I said and what I said. It look funny on TV. And I don’t know right now it’s big story. It’s just a little bit frustrating because I’m a leader on the team and I want to be on that kind of responsibility but Bruce put Brooks’s line and it worked.”

Do you understand why Boudreau didn’t put you out there?
“Of course, I’m understand. They play unbelievable last night, they shut down Getzlaf line and score [three] goals. No doubt about it.”

Is it important that Boudreau treats you the same as everyone else?
“Yeah, it’s one team. It doesn’t matter how good you are or who you are. If we want to win we have to be on the same page.”

Have you ever not been on the ice before that late in a game with that situation?
“When I was little kid. So I’m right now back to young age again. So thanks, Bruce. He reminds me of this one. I was I don’t know, probably 14. Again it’s something that happens, I don’t know. I didn’t talk to him yet. We’ll talk or not, I don’t know.

“It’s just how I said, frustrating, and that kind of situation pisses me off but it’s good for the team and I have to respond for it.”

In a month do you think this will be remembered?
“No, everybody going to forget about it. Some probably like crazy fans is going to laughing at it on Internet, on YouTube. It’s just a situation that happens all the time. If you say something back to somebody you can see everybody lots of talking, trash talking.

Were you satisfied with your play last night?
“I have couple chances….I think in first period I have one good chance and I miss the puck. That third [Anaheim] goal I try like read the game but I didn’t, mistake cost us a goal, but anyway, everybody have mistake and I don’t know should I be on the bench or not.”

More from Tarik El-Bashir:

Ovechkin can do the right thing and be the first player on the ice for Wednesday’s practice and then play his best game of the season in Carolina on Friday. (He also might want to consider apologizing to his coach, face-to-face, for his ugly reaction on the bench, if that hasn’t happened already.)

Or Ovechkin can sulk, drag down the atmosphere in the dressing room and ultimately undermine Boudreau.

It was difficult to completely know which way Ovechkin was leaning late Tuesday night. He bounded out of the Verizon Center — his collar askew and his hair still soaking wet — only moments after Boudreau explained the reason for benching him. He didn’t stop to talk to reporters.

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