Over the past twenty years, just three players have scored more playoff goals than Alex Ovechkin: Patrick Marleau, Sidney Crosby, and Evgeni Malkin. Only three active players have a better point-per-game average than Ovechkin: Crosby, Malkin, and Patrick Kane.
On Wednesday night, Ovechkin scored the first goal of his career in the Stanley Cup Final.
In the past decade, Ovechkin has done exactly what he was supposed to do in the playoffs — score goals and create offence — but because his team couldn’t get past some of the powerhouses in the East, Ovechkin got labeled as a guy couldn’t get it done in the postseason. A big reason why is the two players who appear on both of those short lists: Crosby and Malkin.
In these playoffs, Ovechkin has had a running mate like Crosby has had in Malkin. Evgeny Kuznetsov currently leads the playoffs in scoring, one point ahead of Ovechkin. The two have dominated all postseason and Kuznetsov is a big reason why the Capitals have made it this far, particularly with Nicklas Backstrom playing through injury.
Which is why it was terrible news for the Capitals when Kuznetsov went down in obvious pain after taking a high hit from Brayden McNabb in the first period. Kuznetsov appeared to injure his left wrist on the play and did not return. Despite the big win, the Capitals suffered a big loss when I watched this game.
- The Golden Knights’ pre-game show for Game 2 was largely the same as Game 1, with one significant addition. I’m pretty sure that during the brainstorming session for things they could add to the medieval times-esque show, one staff member, fresh off of binge-watching Game of Thrones, said, “Imagine: dragons!” and they just really badly misinterpreted her.
- Vegas got off to their usual quick start, taking a 9-2 lead in shots in the first ten minutes. One of those shots even went in, which I hear is all the rage in hockey circles these days. It’s this new-fangled stat called goals, I think? Not a great name, it will never catch on. I’m sticking with corsi.
- James “The Real Ally McBeal” Neal opened the scoring on a gorgeous wrist shot that was only surpassed by the savvy play he made to gain the offensive zone. Luca Sbisa hoisted the puck out of the defensive zone and Dmitry Orlov went to bat it down with his glove. Before he could, Neal, with one hand on his stick, tapped the puck out of mid-air and skated by Orlov. Like Waiting for Godot, it was an absurd play, capped off by a perfectly-placed shot.
- With Kuznetsov injured, the Capitals needed a hero and they found one in...*checks notes*...Lars Eller. Okay, sure, why not. Eller played the game of his life, scoring the tying goal and tallying the primary assist on both of the other Capitals goals. I haven’t seen such a dominant Capital since watching The Hunger Games.
- The Capitals have been looking for cross-crease passes to take advantage of Marc-Andre Fleury’s aggressiveness. A moment before Michal Kempny found Eller at the backdoor for the 1-1 goal, Ovechkin nearly set up Backstrom for a tap-in, but Fleury kicked out his left leg and got the toe of his skate on the pass. It’s the type of toe save that Spalding on Moody’s Point could have used.
- Kempny’s great pass gave Eller a wide open net, but he had some help from some confused coverage by the Golden Knights off the faceoff. No one seemed to know who had whom, which is usually a sign that one player royally screwed up their assignment, likely because it was 4-on-4, rather than the usual 5-on-5. Don Cherry blamed Jonathan Marchessault, but his job off the faceoff would have been to get to the point and he did so. My money’s on Erik Haula, who ended up in no man’s land off the draw and had to scramble to get to Kempny.
- Andre Burakovsky also deserves credit for making a great pass to Kempny from his back. So this is me giving him credit.
- After a blown cross-checking call led to a crucial goal in Game 1, the referees were quick to blow the whistle in Game 2. Technically only one cross-checking penalty was called, but there were a couple interference and roughing calls that were basically cross-checking. Perhaps they wanted to avoid looking like they were only calling cross-checking penalties, so named them different penalties to throw people off the scent.
- The Capitals took the lead on a power play generated by the only actual cross-checking penalty. Eller, taking Kuznetsov’s spot on the first power play unit, made a stupendous cross-crease pass to Ovechkin at the backdoor. Ovechkin sent the puck home like a sick schoolchild.
- The game-winning goal was scored by the player everyone expected: Brooks Orpik, the guy with 16 career goals in 982 games and who hadn’t scored a goal since February 26, 2016. I mean, who else? It’s just so obvious.
- Orpik was helped out by a lovely hook pass from Eller and a conveniently-place arm from Vegas’s Tuch. Orpik’s shot hit Tuch’s fin, hit the ice, hit the post, and hit the back of the net. It’s not too surprising to see a couple unnecessary hits from Orpik. They just usually don’t involve the puck.
- Vegas pulled the game within one before the end of two, as Shea “Alvin, Simon” Theodore took advantage of Oshie’s lack of discipline. Oshie was hit from behind and retaliated, taking Colin Miller to the ice. Theodore made him pay by keeping the puck in at the line, then beating a screened Holtby from the point.
- Eller nearly squandered his fantastic game in the third period when he took a hooking penalty on Colin Miller on the penalty kill, giving Vegas over a minute on a 5-on-3. Vegas couldn’t do anything with the two-man advantage, however, as their power play lacked urgency and, like GOB Bluth with Kitty Sanchez, struggled to find any good looks.
- Braden Holtby made the save of the game, series, playoffs, and season with two minutes left, diving back with his goal stick to prevent Tuch from tucking the puck in. It was an outrageous save that got a narrative boost by being a game-winning save as well. If Vegas had managed to score and win in overtime, Washington fans would call it a “pretty good save.” With the added context, it’s likely to become “The Save” like Kirk McLean’s kick save on Robert Reichel.
