(Reuters) – Alex Ovechkin, who recently surpassed Wayne Gretzky for the most goals in NHL history, has no desire to step out of the spotlight as evidenced by the inspired performance he delivered in the Washington Capitals’ opening game of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Ovechkin not only delivered a physical game but scored two goals in Washington’s 3-2 victory over the visiting Montreal Canadiens on Monday, including what was surprisingly the first playoff overtime winner of the Russian’s decorated career.
At 39, Ovechkin is now the fourth-oldest player to score a playoff overtime game-winner, behind Igor Larionov, Ray Whitney and Steve Thomas.
Following the game, which gave the Eastern Conference’s top-seeded Capitals a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven games series, Ovechkin downplayed a career first that took him 20 NHL seasons to accomplish.
“A goal is a goal,” Ovechkin told reporters. “And in the playoffs, especially, it doesn’t matter who scores.”
The bad news for the other 15 playoff teams is Ovechkin, who in 2018 led Washington to a Stanley Cup triumph, has been a man on a mission this season while delivering remarkable production for someone his age.
The only thing that has been able to stop Ovechkin this season is the broken leg he suffered during a game last November that forced him to miss 16 games.
In the Capitals’ playoff opener, Ovechkin was the most physical player on the ice and delivered a game-high seven hits that helped tilt the game in the Capitals’ favour.
“He made a couple of big plays for us tonight, was physical, set the tone,” said Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery. “First period, he was leading the charge and dragging guys into the fight.”
Ovechkin opened the scoring on the power play with a wrist shot from the top of the left faceoff circle and then struck early in overtime when he batted home an airborne puck from the top of the crease.
For the Capitals, who entered the playoffs having lost eight of their final 12 games during the regular season, the win went a long way in easing any concerns that their late-season struggles might spill into the postseason.
Ovechkin will look to extend his impressive start to the Stanley Cup playoffs when the first round series resumes on Wednesday in Washington before shifting to Montreal for games on Friday and Sunday.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Toby Davis)
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