Ovechkin scores in shootout, Caps lose
AP:
“My job is to score goals, not to make hits,” Ovechkin said. “The second period, I probably had three chances to score, but I didn’t do the right thing.”
Well, at least Ovi scored in shootout.
After the first period Ovi had registered 6 hits. In the second, he had only one hit on his fellow countryman Volchenkov behind the net and it knocked out Volchenkov's helmet.
His -1 was a bit unfortunate, he just got to the ice when Devils scored.
Ovi's stats after the 1st period:
total ice time 06:25, 7 shifts, average 00:55, PP 02:19, even 04:06, 1 shot on goal, 1 attempt blocked, 6 hits!
After 2nd:
-1, 1 penalty (2 min), total ice time 12:23, 14 shifts, average 00:53, PP 04:42, even 07:41, 1 shot on goal, 4 attempts blocked, 1 missed, 7 hits
Final:
-1, 1 penalty (2 min), total ice time 20:14, 23 shifts, average 00:52, PP 05:47, even 14:27, 2 shots on goal, 8 attempts blocked, 1 missed, 11 hits!
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6 comments:
@TJ: I saw your reply to my question about Ovie parking fast on another thread. Thanks!
I have a question. Why is Ovie's on ice performance so up and down this season? He alternates between looking like vintage Ovie and invisible/ineffective Ovie. What's up with that?
His scoring stats are interesting and confusing. All 7 of his goals have been on the road. He has yet to light the lamp at Verizon Center. Again, what's the reason for these up and down stats? Does he feel more pressure to score at Verizon Center, is he more distracted at home whereas on the road he feels more relaxed and less under the microscope?
I have no answers, only questions.
He needs to take more shots at the net and go for those rebound pucks if he wants to score more goals.
@BobbyG,
I think several factors are at work. Some of it is wear and tear combinded with the aging process that is subtly reducing his energy.
But since much of this up and down you describe happened abruptly, I think it has more to do with the team's working on a new style, no more run and gun but more defense (last year) and a blending (this year). The style prevents some of the fast play that drove Ovi in those first Bruce years and he now has to find his place in the new style, a style that is still developing for everyone.
Another contributer is how opposing players smother him on the ice thus taking away space and speed. Start/stop play is more tiring.
Related to this is his hesitency to hit players like he used to. After the suspensions he became gun-shy. Hitting can wear a body down but it also keeps players away when you're known for big hits which opens up space. Hitting also fed Ovi's energy (which transfered to the team) because he enjoys that physical side of the game and he was/is good at it.
So new system(s), no run and gun, hesistant to hit aren't factors that help him keep his energy high.
Maybe he'll learn to find pleasure in the details and that will give him a new buzz on the ice.
@BobbyG,
Fogot to mention, and this also relates to his hits, I think Ovi, no matter what he says, has internalized the criticisms that bombarded him the past couple of years. This has led to his hiding more of himself on ice and with the media. That impacts his energy too.
@O: thanks for your reply to my questions. You make excellent points about what could be contributing to Ovie's slump. I've felt for a while that it seems like Ovie doesn't have the joy and exhuberance that he used to have. Maybe he isn't enjoying the game as much as he did before because of the reasons you mentioned. I hope he eventually becomes more comfortable with the Caps new playing style, which in turn will relax him and bring back his love of the game. IMO it's way past the time for him to still be carrying the baggage of being sensitive to criticism by the media and some so-called fans. Moving on is part of the process of growing up, and this might be the most difficult lesson for Ovie to learn.
I don't think he is carrying around much baggage from the media per se, he's just more cautious and less revealing and the media is one (loud) factor.
He's had very few high points over the past 2 or more years on professional and personal levels. It is one thing to lose when your team doesn't have the expectations of thousands on it and it's another thing to lose when your team is anointed the next champion before games have been played.
Until recently, he's been lucky career-wise - high personal stats that pile up easily and teams (Caps/Russia) performing to expectation.
He had some deprivation and rough spots growing up, but for the most part he was sheltered and led a charmed existence.
Now he's facing real and regular adversity. Caps are expected to do well in playoffs, they don't. Russia is expected to do well at Worlds and Olympics, it doesn't. Ovi takes more than his share of criticism. Repeat, repeat, repeat.
One blow followed by another, year after year and throw in an occasional personal loss. In that cycle there is little time for recovery. Is full recovery even possible? That depends on the person and I think Ovi is the type that loses a bit of himself each time.
Years ago I went through several negative things in a two year period. Although I say I have recovered, it's not a full recovery. The highs aren't as high anymore, the resilience not as strong. I'm detecting similarities in Ovi when I watch him in various circumstances and compare them to how he reacted before. I hope he can recover better than I have, but recovering with year-round scrutiny and speculation will make it more difficult.
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