Call it karma, but Alex Ovechkin is getting his - whether it be by injury or suspension.
The Washington Capitals superstar is serving a two-game suspension after a greasy knee-on-knee hit on Carolina's Tim Gleason in the Capitals’ 3-2 win over the Hurricanes Monday night. Ovechkin injured himself in the process.
Many critics, including Washington coach Bruce Boudreau have frowned upon Ovechkin’s aggressive style of hockey. Boudreau told the media he would talk to his star player about taking it down a couple notches, but later retracted his statement saying he doesn’t want to toy with the NHL MVP’s style.
Ovechkin said he won’t change the way he plays the game regardless of injuries or suspensions.
"Why do I have to listen to somebody who say: 'Hey, you have to change your game, and somebody going to kill you,'" Ovechkin told reporters. "Well, nobody going to kill me. I just play my game and I just enjoy my time and I enjoy my life. It's me, and it is what it is."
While No. 8 stews in the stands, Washington will be without his goal-scoring prowess. The Capitals have won three in a row with Ovechkin picking up four points in that span. They’ve also got solid performances from their goaltenders, Simeon Varlamov and Jose Theodore, during this stretch.
Pick: Under
Ottawa Senators at Los Angeles Kings
Scotiabank Place will be a sight for sore eyes when the Ottawa Senators return home from their current five-game, West Coast road trip.
The Sens have lost the first two games of this trip, most recently a 5-2 defeat to the San Jose Sharks in which former forward Dany Heatley recorded two assists. That effort marked the third loss for Ottawa in its last four games.
The Senators are averaging just two goals a night in this span and desperately need their star players to pick up their performances. Daniel Alfredsson has just three goals in the past 10 games, but did register an assist in Tuesday’s loss. Fellow star Jason Spezza has been even more invisible, scoring one goal since November 5.
Critics have said Heatley’s departure is the biggest reason for the Senators’ scoring decline. The gritty playmaker has blossomed in San Jose, leaving Spezza and Alfredsson to struggle with new linemates.
"Obviously I want to have better offensive numbers than I have, but I think my game has improved, and Milan (Michalek) has pushed me to become a better defensive player, killing penalties with him," Spezza told reporters.
"He has brought different aspects to my game, and hopefully I can round everything out here and become an offensive threat and play in all situations.
"When you play with a guy for so long, you do miss certain things. We had great chemistry, but, as a player, you move on.”
Ice Picks 12/3
Reply With Quote