Ovechkin scores 50th as Caps drop Thrashers
Bidding for a third consecutive MVP award, Alex Ovechkin took over
the NHL lead in goals and points Friday night, scoring twice to
reach 50 goals and adding an assist in the Washington Capitals' 5-2
victory over the Atlanta Thrashers.
Ovechkin set up Nicklas Backstrom's goal in the first period,
then scored himself in the second and third as the Capitals scored
four unanswered goals. With one regular-season game left, Ovechkin
leads Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby by one goal, and Vancouver's
Henrik Sedin by one point. Neither the Penguins nor the Canucks
played Friday.
Not much else of consequence was at stake in this game.
League-best Washington was already assured of home-ice advantage
throughout the postseason; Atlanta already knew it would miss the
playoffs.
Ovechkin joined Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy - pretty heady
company - as the only players to score at least 50 goals in four of
their first five NHL seasons. The Russian left wing's career-high
total was 65 in 2007-08.
This season's No. 50 broke a 2-2 tie and came at the 9:49
mark of the third period. Ovechkin took a pass from Alexander Semin
and, while moving to his right, snapped a wrist shot past goalie
Ondrej Pavelec.
Ovechkin raised his fists, then slammed back-first into the
glass and was mobbed by teammates while fans began chanting
``M-V-P!'' Skating over to the bench, Ovechkin paused to glance up
and watch a replay of his goal on the overhead videoboard.
Moments later, when that screen showed the Russian left wing
sitting on the bench, he waved to the crowd, and most of the
spectators gave him a standing ovation.
Backstrom wound up with two goals and an assist on the night,
too, to reach 100 points in a season for the first time, while
Semin finished with three assists.
The Capitals trailed 2-1 before Ovechkin tied it at 16:04 of
the second, taking a pass from Semin and winding up for a big slap
shot from the top of the left circle. As the puck snapped past
Pavelec, Ovechkin raised his arms overhead, his stick in his right
glove.
There was plenty of pregame pomp and circumstance, with NHL
deputy commissioner Bill Daly presenting the Capitals with the
Presidents' Trophy, given to the team with the most points.
Washington clinched that last weekend, and kept adding to its lead:
Friday's victory was the team's fifth in a row and allowed the
Capitals to tie a franchise mark with 30 home wins in a season.
During the ceremony, Ovechkin never actually touched the
silver-and-glass piece signifying the best regular-season record.
Indeed, it appeared that Ovechkin did not even look at the trophy.
The Capitals, after all, have their sights set on a more
significant accolade: a Stanley Cup championship.
NOTES: Capitals G Jose Theodore earned his 30th win of the
season. ... Evgeny Artyukhin and Clarke MacArthur scored for
Atlanta. ... Before the game, Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau made
the case for Mike Green to win his first Norris Trophy as the
league's top defenseman. ``He's had the best year as a defenseman
in the NHL - overall, defensively, offensively. And he plays on the
team that is No. 1, and he's the No. 1 catalyst from the defense
that we have. We have the No. 1 power play in the league. He's on
it all the time.'' ... Washington's healthy scratches: D Tom Poti,
D John Erskine, C David Steckel, RW Mike Knuble, RW Matt Bradley.
... Capitals forwards Boyd Gordon and Morr`ison and Boyd Gordon
both played after being sidelined by injuries.
