YouTube has better angles on Ovechkin's 23rd

 In my previous post I had a video from capitals.nhl.com (Thanks Brett and Nate, you are doing a terrific job), but this YouTube video has much better angles that allow you to feel better how terrific that goal was...

You witness the goal of the best hockey player ever in this entire Universe... What a determination!

H/t to rh71 (ovechkinfans.com)

Reaction around the league:

• According to Caps forum Ovechkin's goal is #1 on ESPN's SportsCenter's Top 10


• By John Vogl, Buffalo News, Dec. 27, 2008 "MVP Ovechkin makes difference":
  WASHINGTON — Alexander Ovechkin hadn’t even scored and he was already the most noticeable player on the ice. Then, when he added another moment to his ridiculous collection of highlights, the fans serenaded him as the most dominant player in the league.
  
  The reigning NHL Most Valuable Player scored the game-winning goal midway through the third period, and Washington held off Buffalo’s late rally to deal the Sabres a 3-2 setback Friday night. The loss extended the Sabres’ winless streak to three games (0-1-2). They get a chance to end it at 7 tonight (MSG, Radio 550 AM) when the New York Islanders visit HSBC Arena.
  
  Ovechkin gave the Capitals a 3-1 lead with 11:33 to go, and the Verizon Center went bonkers. The superstar skated past Sabres defenseman Toni Lydman out of the Washington zone and abused Henrik Tallinder. Ovechkin was on the defenseman’s left and hopped to Tallinder’s right by pushing the puck between the blue-liner’s stick and skates.
  
  Ovechkin then closed on goaltender Patrick Lalime and fired a puck past while falling to the ice. The 18,277 in attendance gasped as the highlight played on the scoreboard, and they burst into a chant of “MVP, MVP.”
  
  “He’s one of the best, if not the best player in the league,” Lydman said. “You know every time he is on the ice you’ve got to be sharp and you’ve got to be watching.”
  
  The goal capped a night in which Ovechkin fired 19 pucks at the net. Eight made it, another eight were blocked and three others went wide.
  
  “It was a pretty cool goal,” Ovechkin said. “You always want to do some crazy things. It was a great goal, and I’m happy it happened to me.”
  


• The Hockey News, Dec. 26, 2008:
  WASHINGTON - Alex Ovechkin got a little mad when the officials wiped out an apparent goal late in the second period.
  
  But Ovechkin got over it by scoring a highlight-reel goal in the third period in the Washington Capitals' 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night.
  
  Viktor Kozlov and Boyd Gordon also scored, and Jose Theodore made 22 saves.
  
  Ovechkin's spectacular play made it 3-1 with 11:33 left.
  
  He pushed the puck through Henrik Tallinder's legs just inside the blue line, got around him and fired a shot past goalie Patrick Lalime while falling.
  
  "He was mad, and he was going to make up for it," Washington coach Bruce Boudreau said. "They were checking him, and he was losing the puck, but he was just determined. It was like, 'They took one away from me, and they're not going to take another one away."'
  
  The sellout crowd of 18,277 broke into loud chants of "M-V-P!, M-V-P!" for Ovechkin, the NHL's reigning Most Valuable Player.
  
  "It was a pretty cool goal," Ovechkin said. "I just made some moves. You always want to do some crazy things. It was a great goal, and I'm happy it happened to me."
  Defenceman Bryan Helmer had the only assist on the goal, pushing the puck forward to Ovechkin, who did the rest.
  
  "That's why he's the best in the league," Helmer said. "He never gives up on the puck, and the next thing you know it's in the back of the net. It's amazing what he can do."
  
  Ovechkin appeared to give the Capitals a 2-0 lead late in the second, but a goalie interference call against teammate Brooks Laich negated that and lit the MVP's fire.
  


• Puck Daddy "Ovechkin schools Sabres defense for another classic goal"
  


• letsgosabres.com:
  Ovechkin showed why he's the reigning league MVP after breaking out of his own zone, tipping a pass to himself while turning around a Buffalo defender at the blue-line, and getting a hard shot off while falling to his stomach for a goal that sent the home crowd into a frenzy and solidified a two-goal lead with 11:33 left in the game.

And here's for desert:
ovechkinfans.com moderator (OV-1) post: "My collection is complete!"