Fourteen years into his NHL career, 33-year-old Alex Ovechkin is an idol for many young hockey players who are breaking into the league.
“When Miles was about eight or nine-years-old, he sent a hockey card to Alex Ovechkin,” Miles Wood’s father said in a December 2016 interview. “He said if you don’t sign this and send it back to me when I make it to the NHL, I’m going to give you a big bodycheck. Miles never got the signed card back.”
That precious 2016 interview led to Wood, a forward for the New Jersey Devils, meeting Ovechkin after his first pro game against the Capitals. Ovechkin even gave Wood a signed photo as an apology and the two smiley players posed together in the bowels of Capital One Arena.
Thursday night at Prudential Center, those smiles turned into snarls as Wood tried to fight Ovechkin during a scrum in the first period.
Y’all, we got some man-on-idol violence.
The whole mess started after a scoring chance by Evgeny Kuznetsov. Devils defenseman Damon Severson and the Russian center exchanged shoves and a melee broke out along the corner boards.
Wood, who had gone to the bench for a change, noticed the fracas break out and skates back into the play. AND HERE HE COMES FROM THE TOP ROPE.
Wood goes after Ovechkin, pulling The Great 8 out of the pig pile. The two players begin to wrestle.
Eventually both players tire and Ovechkin, realizing who accosted him, begins to yell at Wood.
“What are you doing?” it appears Ovechkin asks.
If I’m lipreading correctly, Ovechkin appears to end his discussion by telling Wood that he’s a “piece of sh*t.”
This, again, comes nearly two years after Ovechkin and Wood went viral in NHL circles. Ovechkin made up for never returning Wood’s trading card signed by giving him a personalized photo.
It reads, “To Miles, Take it easy tonight.”
Indeed, Miles. “Take it easy.”
Lol Miles Wood going after Ovi. I thought he was your idol? #CapsDevils #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/wPuI9nUiZT
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) October 11, 2018
