The game can wait.

Washington Capitals Alex Ovechkin continued his blistering scoring pace tonight in front of the fifth most powerful man in America, Secretary of State John Kerry. Ovechkin showed off his own considerable might, scoring goal number 40 on a beautifully ugly backhand. He also should have gotten credit for an assist on Troy Brouwer’s first period goal. This is what secondary assists are for, people.

Let’s review.

First let’s take a look at Ovi’s only point — technically — on the night.

In the third period, with the Caps tied with Winnipeg 2-2, Karl Alzner blistered a shot on net from the point. Nicklas Backstrom, all up in Ondrej Pavelec‘s grill, managed to whack two rebounds on net. With a juicy rebound laying just outside the paint, Ovechkin swooped in and did his thing.

The league leader in goals gets another.

That wasn’t the only impact Ovechkin made on the game. Au contraire.

Ovechkin also walloped Mark Stuart with a big hit in the first period. The haters will say, Dude, he turned the puck over. Not impressive. Yes, but that puck went right to Nicklas Backstrom streaking down the ice, who got a shot on goal.

Then the figurative assist. A few minutes into the first period, Ovechkin wound up from the blue line and snapped an easy shot — for him — on net. But remember, this is Ovi.

Pavelec’s stick cracked in half.

Without the rest of his stick, Ondrej was unable to reach out far enough to poke check away Troy Brouwer‘s point-blank shot. Goal.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is just another night from your captain.

Photo: Alex Brandon