1. Alex Ovechkin, as you might have heard, is having a bit of a moment in these here playoffs. Most importantly, he’s been real good.
He’s leading the playoffs in goals (tied with Mark Scheifele), second in points (two behind linemate Evgeny Kuznetsov). His 14 goals and 11 assists in 22 games equates to a 52-goal/41-assist 82-game pace (which would be his most productive regular season since 2009-10), and those stats have come while facing the two-time and reigning Vezina Trophy winner, the two-time reigning Stanley Cup champion, a current Vezina finalist and the Conn Smythe Trophy front-runner (until he ran into Ovechkin, that is) in net (not to mention top defensive forwards and defensemen and playoff officiating).
The 32-year-old Ovechkin assisted on a game-winning goal in the Columbus series, had a goal and two primary assists in the last three wins of the Pittsburgh set, had the game-winning goal in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final in Tampa, and is on a two-game goal-scoring streak in the Stanley Cup Final.
Ovechkin is powering the Caps’ 27.3 percent effective power play with five goals and ten points (as well as providing a presence that opens up options for the rest of the power play), and the Caps are outshooting (53.8 percent) and outscoring (63.3 percent) opponents with Ovechkin on the ice at five-on-five.
In other words, not only has Ovechkin not been a passenger on this Caps playoff run, he’s been driving the bus… Fred Flintstone style.
2. He’s also been an avatar for every Caps fan, openly displaying emotion and plenty of it.
3. And so there’s a lovefest for Ovi in the media, and we’re all incredibly here for it:
Two more wins and “legend” status gets turned up to “immortal.”
O Captain! My Captain!