Alex Ovechkin The Superstar Shows Himself

Washington Capitals 3, Ottawa Senators 2 (OT)

The Washington Capitals won their 2nd game for Dale Hunter on Wednesday night (both were against the Ottawa Senators) by a score of 5-3 in Canada to climb back above .500 at 14-13. The Senators put up a good effort but the Caps went B-A-N-A-N-A-S like Gwen Stefani in the 3rd Period to knock off the Senators for the third time this season in as many tries.

After a relatively boring 1st period, who's highlight was a so-so fight between Troy Brouwer and the fastest gun in the west Jesse Winchester, the Caps came out and got a goal early in the second from Jeff Halpern off a rebound.

Halfway through the 2nd period, Alex Ovechkin gave Chris Neil a little cheap shot to the midsection with the end of his stick. The referees did not see that take place and gave Neil an unsportsmanlike for diving. When they showed the replay to the crowd the place erupted in boos and for the remainder of the game Ovi was booed louder than he has been all season.

For the rest of the period, the Caps and Ovi looked flustered. Tomas Vokoun spent the period acting as if he was a muddy dog and the goal was a bathtub, as the Sens scored two goals with Tommy V nowhere near the net. The Caps headed to the locker room before the 3rd period trailing 2-1.

The Caps began to charge about 5 minutes into the period. During that time something magical happened. I couldn't believe my eyes. I saw someone wearing a #8 jersey that I had never seen all season. You could tell just by looking at him that he was something special and I began to have a feeling that the Caps were going to win.

With Ovi pumped up and playing like a maniac, the Caps scored the game tying goal halfway through the period when Nick Backstrom fired a shot past the Sens goalie on a beautiful give and go with Brooks Laich. The moment the puck went in the goal I KNEW, I didn't THINK, I KNEW that Ovechkin was going to score the game winning goal. He was so fired up. I can't even explain it in words.

Sure enough the REAL Ovechkin scored two minutes later as he took the puck coast to coast, went around the net, hit the breaks causing the helpless defender to fly 10 feet past him, and then did a slapshot turned snapshot that caused the defender to flinch, and the puck to go through the goalies pads into the net.

The Ovi energy passed off to his teammates and just fifteen seconds later the Caps scored again on a Troy Brouwer goal sending the crowd home early with 6 minutes left to play and giving Bouwer the clincher on a Gordie Howe Hat Trick. However, the game was not over yet.

Alex Semin picked up a Hooking penalty with four minutes left and the Sens scored literally 5 seconds later. The crowd came alive as the Sens only trailed by one goal with 4 minutes remaining. A minute later Joel Ward helped the Senators cause by picking up his 2nd slashing penalty of the period, but luckily the Caps killed the penalty and John Carlson hit a full court empty netter to seal the Caps 5-3 victory.

Game Notes:

• I knew Phil Jackson retired from coaching in the NBA but I didn't know he moved to Ottawa to coach the Senators
• I found it interesting that the in-arena scoring summary was done on the PA in both French & English
• I don't know what switch Ovi flipped on, but I hope it stays on...