On Saturday night, 24-year-old defenseman John Moore had the worst night ever. The Devils, who should finish in the cellar of the Eastern Conference, were playing their second game in consecutive nights. They managed, however, to be tied with the Capitals 2-2 though 46 minutes of play. The Devils were in a position to win against a very good team. Then Alex Ovechkin happened.
The Russian machine did The Move. Ovechkin tossed the puck through his own legs, using his body as a shield. Moore missed with a pokecheck. Ovechkin then dipped his shoulder and ripped a shot past Keith Kinkaid bar down. It was a legendary play by a legendary player.
Moore’s response: rage.
Moore angrily slammed his stick along the boards, snapping the blade clear off. The piece of fiberglass spun on the ice like a dreidel.
Maybe Moore was embarrassed Ovechkin scored on him in such a crucial moment of the game. Maybe he knew his fail would be seen on highlight-reel shows and blogs all across the world. Maybe he hates all the Caps’ new corporate partners. Whatever the reason, Moore was angry and he was the symbolic exclamation point of the Caps opening night win.
