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Assistant of the highest level
Russia's most famous hockey player, Alexander Ovechkin, was the center of attention on another day of the NHL regular season. Ovechkin, a standout forward, had two assists in a 4-2 home win over the Vegas Golden Knights, joining an elite group of players with at least 700 points and assists.
In any case, this success in Washington will be seen as a very happy event by those who care. After struggling to reach the playoffs last season, the Capitals, who had rebuilt their roster quite nicely over the summer and were hoping to add strength and stability to it, opened the next season with a loss to the New Jersey Devils. They managed to win the second meeting, and against what seemed like extremely difficult opponents. Vegas gained momentum, winning three games in a row in the regular season, and their performances against the Colorado Avalanche, St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks testify to their favorite habits. But they failed against Washington. And an appearance by the host of Washington Idol, who has a very special status, added sweetness to the result.
It was Alexander Ovechkin who attracted attention even before the match and made a decisive contribution to the club's victory.
That's because coach Spencer Carvery announced a switch from his usual left side of the attack to the right side of Washington's front line.
And the number of publications dedicated to this decision, which is not really that radical, given the versatility of many forwards, including Ovechkin (in his youth he successfully played the role of right winger several times), confirms the interest in the decision. . A man of outstanding Russian hockey players.
If anyone was worried about whether Alexander Ovechkin would feel uncomfortable with Carbery's adjustments, they were wrong.
Ovechkin was active and often a threat, with six shots on target. However, he excelled not primarily in the sniper discipline with which he was associated, but in a secondary discipline that he had long ago mastered at the highest level.
The game was tied 1-1 after the first period. Washington reached a turning point, scoring three goals in three minutes early in the second period. Both goals were primarily due to Ovechkin. He was involved in Tom Wilson's finish, allowing Washington to capitalize on its man advantage and take the lead. And soon Ovechkin was moving his body and stick brilliantly, driving his opponent onto the board and killing Alexei Protas with a killer shot to turn a 2-1 lead into 3-1. "Good job!" Carbery gleefully commented, admiring the skill and intuition of the Russians.
And the second episode brought Alexander Ovechkin two notable statistical achievements at once. The first is a little less honorable.
Protas' successful transfer marked 700 years of regular competition.
However, in the near future he may rise even higher, but in this indicator in the history of the NHL he currently occupies only 60th place.
The second achievement, however, is undeniable. Alexander Ovechkin joins the group of players who have scored at least 700 goals and assists in the regular season. And it’s a small group, made up entirely of top-level legends. They include Jaromir Jagr, Gordie Howe, Phil Esposito, Marcel Dionne and, of course, Wayne Gretzky, whom Ovechkin is chasing in the all-time scoring race. He still sits 41st behind the Canadian great, who has 894 targets.