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Alex Ovechkin’s four points against the Flyers on Super Bowl Sunday

By Ian Oland

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February 7, 2021 2:45 pm

With so many regulars out of the lineup, Alex Ovechkin knew he had to be good against the Flyers. And good he was during another nationally-televised, Super Bowl Sunday game. Ovechkin scored twice himself and tallied two beautiful assists.

It was Ovi’s first four-point game since November 30, 2019, when he scored a hat trick against the Detroit Red Wings. Ovechkin has tallied four or more points 29 different times in his career.

Since returning from the NHL’s COVID-19 Unavailability List, Ovechkin has seven points in his last four games (4g, 3a).

Point 1 (Goal)

After passing Mike Gartner for seventh on the NHL’s all-time goals list Wednesday, Ovi is approaching sixth-place Phil Esposito (717). During a first period powerplay, Ovechkin scored career goal number 710 after taking a slick cross-ice feed from Tom Wilson.

Ovi skated into his office and fired a wrister to the far corner, knocking the puck off Carter Hart’s shoulder and in.

Nasty.

The PPG was Ovi’s 261st of his career, which puts him four man-advantage tallies behind Brett Hull (265) for second in NHL history.

Ovi also passed Esposito for the sixth-most regular season and playoffs goals combined (779).

Point 2 (Assist)

But Ovi wasn’t done. Not by a long shot.

Five minutes and 25 seconds later, Ovi took the puck down the left wing and undressed Flyers defender Philippe Myers. Ovechkin put the puck through the 24-year-old’s legs — Craig Laughlin would call it a jockstrapper — before finding Tom Wilson with a backhanded cross-crease pass. Wilson one-timed the puck past Hart for his fifth goal of the season. Nicklas Backstrom, who was set up in the crease, was credited with the primary assist for touching the biscuit before it got to Wilson.

Yowie Wowie!

At the Capitals’ bench, the players looked up at the jumbotron and admired their work.

Point 3 (Goal 2)

Ovechkin scored career goal number 711 during a shift where he simply would not be denied. After the Flyers tied the game 2-2, Ovechkin scored on his next shift one minute and 39 seconds later to give the Caps back the lead.

Ovechkin had four shot attempts while he was on the ice, including three shots on goal. His third shot, which he rifled from the point, went off the post and in.

According to the Capitals PR, the goal gave Ovechkin the 146th career multi-goal game.

Point 4 (Assist 2)

Ovechkin’s final point, his fourth of the game, was a primary assist on a Nicklas Backstrom goal. After taking a pass from Tom Wilson, Ovechkin – who I’m guessing everyone on the Flyers though would shoot – instead sent a one-touch pass to Nicklas Backstrom near the crease.

The Super Swede finished the play depositing the puck on his backhand.

It was Backstrom’s team-leading sixth goal of the season.

Despite Ovi’s gr8ness, the Capitals collapsed and lost 7-4.

Ovi now has five goals and seven assists in eight games this season. At age 35, this was one of the better games of Ovechkin’s career. He now has 18 career points on Super Bowl Sunday.

At some point Ovi’s play should start deteriorating, but, as you know, Russian machine never breaks.

RMNB Coverage of Caps vs Flyers

Screenshot courtesy of NBC

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