Despite not recording a point, Alex Ovechkin had one of his stronger games of the season in the Washington Capitals‘ 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday.
The Capitals outshot the Flyers 6-4 and controlled 69.9 percent of the expected goals (0.56 to 0.24) with Ovechkin on the ice at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick. Ovechkin’s physicality also came roaring back during a net-front gathering in the first period, as the Capitals captain emphatically shoved Flyers defenseman Hunter McDonald to the ice.
Alex Ovechkin shoves Hunter McDonald to the ice
“Yeah, I mean, no surprise really,” Dylan Strome said of Ovechkin, when asked about the play and his Hulk-like strength at age 41. “He’s a big body.”
Through the first 11 games of his final NHL season, Ovechkin has four points — a goal and three assists — while also dishing out 15 hits.
“I thought he played great today,” Strome said. “I thought on the power play, he was poised with the puck and making great plays. We didn’t execute on a few of his passes. And that was on us, the rest of the guys in the power play. But I thought he was skating well, making hits, making plays, set up a Little Pro in the first period there. So lots to build on.”
Ovechkin won’t have to wait long for that opportunity, as the Capitals face the Nashville Predators Thursday night.
