Alexander Ovechkin establishes a new mark, propelling Washington into the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The first round of the Stanley Cup has delivered an exciting clash for Russian hockey enthusiasts: the highly-anticipated face-off between Alexander Ovechkin, a legendary leader of the "Washington Capitals," and the 19-year-old rising star Ivan Demidov of the "Montreal Canadiens."
While Ovechkin, fresh off breaking Wayne Gretzky's sniper record before the playoffs, took the stage for Washington, Demidov, who had scored his first goal during the regular season for Montreal, aimed to leave his mark. However, the anticipated drama failed to materialize. Demidov only managed two assists in the playoffs, a commendable but unspectacular performance that didn't significantly boost Montreal's overall statistics.
The underdog Montreal, having securred a spot in the playoffs through a wild card from the Eastern Conference, admittedly faced an uphill battle from the start. Consequently, there were no major surprises throughout the series.
The Capitals, on the other hand, emerged victorious with confidence. Leading the charge was Ovechkin, who scored in three out of five games, tallying four goals. Moreover, he opened the scoring in the decisive game of the series with a power-play goal in the 10th minute, setting the tone for a Capitals' win.
"Washington" dominated the game, with Jakob Chychrun extending their lead before the first intermission, followed by Tom Wilson's third goal against Montreal in the second period. Emil Heineman scored a goal for Montreal early in the final 20 minutes, but Brandon Duhaime sealed the victory for the Capitals with just 30 seconds left in the game.
With this victory, Ovechkin has now won 11 Stanley Cup series in his career. After the game, he exchanged handshakes with Demidov and reportedly shared words of encouragement with his fellow countryman.
Coach Spencer Carbery heaped praise on Ovechkin, emphasizing that it was his leadership that allowed the team to shine in this game. After the match, Ovechkin reminded his team of the importance of focusing on their upcoming opponents rather than celebrating their recent victory.
The next challenge for "Washington" in the playoffs will be the "Carolina Hurricanes," who also eliminated the "New Jersey Devils" in five games. The Carolina roster includes four Russian hockey players: former Washington defenseman Dmitry Orlov, as well as Andrei Svechnikov, Pyotr Kotchetkov, and Alexander Nikishin.
Alexander Ovechkin's records continue to grow as the playoffs unfold. His latest goal took him to the top of the list for most playoff goals by a Russian player in the NHL. Meanwhile, he continues his chase for other records, including the combined total of goals in the regular season and playoffs, and the number of power-play goals in Stanley Cup playoff games.
Despite his many achievements and records in the Stanley Cup playoffs, Ovechkin remains ensnared in an ongoing rivalry with Patrik Kane of the Detroit Red Wings, who currently leads the way with 14 points in the final games of the series.
- Alexander Ovechkin, following his record-breaking performance before the playoffs, mirrored the achievements of hockey legend Wayne Gretzky in the NHL.
- In the coming matches, Ovi, as a member of the Washington Capitals, will face another challenge against the Carolina Hurricanes, who also boast four Russian players such as Dmitry Orlov.
- The next anticipated encounter in the NHL, reminiscent of the recent "Washington Capitals" vs "Montreal Canadiens" matchup, pits Ovechkin against another skilled Russian player, Andrei Svechnikov, of the Carolina Hurricanes.
- Similarly to the playoff series between Ovechkin and Ivan Demidov, the upcoming match between Ovechkin and Patrik Kane of the Detroit Red Wings awaits, as Kane currently leads in the ongoing rivalry with Ovechkin in terms of points in the final games of the series.
