📸: Alan Dobbins/RMNB
Alex Ovechkin had an eventful game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, even though he didn’t light the lamp.
Take, for instance, a misdraw late in the first period. Dylan Strome won the puck directly back to Ovechkin at the top of the left circle, but the play was immediately whistled dead for a new faceoff.
Ovechkin got attention on social media for what he did next. He picked up the puck with the blade of his stick and then heaved it high into the air without looking back at the official. The moment was picked up by Bleacher Report online with the caption “Ovi with some wizardry.” And indeed, in this moment, his swag was phenomenal, just like former Wizard Gilbert Arenas.
Ovechkin also got some screen time during ESPN’s nationally broadcast game during a TV timeout. He found fellow countryman Nikita Kucherov at the end of Tampa’s bench and the two began catching up, gaining the attention of analyst Ray Ferraro.
“Pretty entertaining conversation if I could have understood any of it as Nikita Kucherov and Alex Ovechkin start chatting away,” Ferraro said. “Somebody said something funny because they were starting to laugh.”
Ovechkin also did a little dance at center ice after Jakob Chychrun scored the overtime game-winner, giving the Capitals their third straight victory.
Ovi has started the season slowly on the scoresheet, but he remains just as entertaining as ever.