Alex Ovechkin scored 15 goals on his way to the 2018 Stanley Cup Championship. If that doesn’t seem like a lot, that’s only because you have gotten used to Alex Ovechkin scoring a lot. And despite living with a curious reputation as a playoff disappointment ever since he first made the playoffs with the 2008 Caps, Ovechkin is actually the single best postseason goal scorer of the current era.
Our friends and Rock the Red noticed this stat on ESPN. Among all players since 2007-08, no one has scored more goals than Ovi.
Is this good? It seems good. pic.twitter.com/TgoKrjZ1or
— RockTheRed (@RockTheRed) April 21, 2019
Ovechkin scored his 64th career playoff goal in the Capitals 6-0 win in Game Five. Ovechkin nailed a one-timer past Petr Mrazek after a set play off of a faceoff.
And it’s not just raw numbers; it’s rate too. Here’s the full top ten from Hockey Reference:
| Player | Goals | Games | Goals/Game |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Ovechkin | 64 | 126 | 0.51 |
| Sidney Crosby | 63 | 159 | 0.40 |
| Evgeni Malkin | 63 | 157 | 0.40 |
| Patrick Kane | 50 | 127 | 0.39 |
| Patrick Sharp | 46 | 130 | 0.35 |
| Joe Pavelski | 45 | 120 | 0.38 |
| Henrik Zetterberg | 42 | 97 | 0.43 |
| Patrick Marleau | 41 | 116 | 0.35 |
| Jonathan Toews | 40 | 128 | 0.31 |
| Jeff Carter | 39 | 114 | 0.34 |
Ovechkin is head-and-shoulders above the pack in goals. (In Sidney Crosby’s defense, he’s been a scoring monster and averages 1.14 points per game.
The NBC telecast Saturday also pointed out that Ovechkin is an even better player after Caps’ postseason losses.
Alex Ovechkin is a point-per-game player in the postseason after Capitals losses. pic.twitter.com/Um25nnWBUj
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) April 21, 2019
And now, some tweets:
Ovechkin can score 75 goals during the regular season. Then he disappointed his team and fans in the playoffs
— Rob (@pghfan15061) October 9, 2017
Alex Ovechkin is still so nasty. But it doesn’t matter because when playoffs start, he’ll fall of the face of the earth as always 🤷🏼♂️
— Max (@_maxpacheco) October 8, 2017
Fast-forward to the Stanley Cup Playoffs…
“It hadn’t happened in less than 1 year. Ovechkin disappears AGAIN in the Stanley Cup Playoffs” https://t.co/Be5Ylo7gTy
— Taylor Brinkman (@taylor_brinkman) October 8, 2017
https://twitter.com/_SC87/status/916814653090598913
One thing that might affect the colts negatively. Russians. They disappear when the games get tough. Case in point Alex Ovechkin
— Ivan Arbour (@IvanArbour) September 19, 2017
I think Ovechkin missed his calling as a magician…he can make himself disappear better than David copperfield! #whereareyou #StanleyCup
— Clayton Brown (@brownster26) May 11, 2017
Your a Capitola fan of course ur upset during playoff time cause all ovechkin does is disappear in the playoffs https://t.co/b9IXiDDmjv
— Matt Erman (@MattErman2) April 18, 2017
Wow, looks like Alex Ovechkin comes up small in a big game again! Watch him disappear the rest of the NHL season
— Paul McLeary (@paulmcleary) February 19, 2014
https://twitter.com/mildcanadian/status/588511487821418499
Ovechkin may b the most overrated athlete in pro sports. Stop letting him stand in the face off circle. Goals will disappear. Cherrypicker
— Ultra MAGA Patriot 🇺🇸🇺🇲❤ (@NooPucksGiven) February 16, 2015
On my all time "They Disappear when it Matters Most" team, I've got Nash and Ovechkin up front. Not sure who else. Not sure it matters.
— Steve Lansky 🍁 (@bigmouthsports) May 9, 2014
Alex Ovechkin is a lot like a Malaysian airplane – they disappear for long stretches of time.
Too soon? pic.twitter.com/IMXIph75Td
— Penguins Nation (@EngellandsEye) March 10, 2014
I hear ovechkin is the greatest magician ever… Some how he manages to disappear every year in playoffs
— Ethan Trimblay (@NA_NA856) May 14, 2013
What if Ovechkin didn't disappear in big games? #historywillbemade #StanleyCup
— Bradley Engle (@BradEngle) May 14, 2013
Ovechkin must be Russian for disappear.
— linusesq (@linusesq) May 14, 2013
