Alex Ovechkin’s point-scoring tear continued against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday.
Ovechkin registered his first three-assist night since February 2018 to help lead the Capitals to a 6-3 victory.
Ovechkin registered a secondary assist on a John Carlson goal in the first period.
BING BONG! pic.twitter.com/Vniw2Wq1Xb
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 25, 2021
Ovi got another secondary assist on a beautiful tic-tac-toe goal scored by Evgeny Kuznetsov in the second.
Sliiiiiiiick 👌 pic.twitter.com/1IvUZVyqi4
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 25, 2021
It’s honestly worth another look.
slap pass so good even kuzy had to double-take pic.twitter.com/qqr9cagOWw
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 25, 2021
Then in the third period, Ovi earned a primary assist after looking off Jake Allen, faking a shot, and dishing to Tom Wilson for the easy finish.
One, two, three, four, FIF pic.twitter.com/qFJXFMY1I6
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 25, 2021
The hat trick of assists gave Ovechkin 18 on the season, the most on the Capitals, and 33 points. Ovi has 18 assists in 20 games this season whereas he had 18 apples in 45 games in 2020-21.
So what has changed?
“Oh, I don’t think something changed,” Ovechkin said to the media after the game.
“I don’t know,” Carlson, sitting beside the Capitals captain, replied, equally confused.
Ovi was encouraged to give a better answer.
“Sometimes I give the puck up to Kuzy,” Ovi said. “Trying to score on the net, I pass to Carly. We score… so. Secondary assists, I’ll take it!
“I think it’s all about the situation (on the ice).”
Rarely someone who contends for the Art Ross Trophy (he won it once in 2008), Ovechkin (33) now has more points than Connor McDavid (32), second-most in the NHL. Ovechkin has the most assists on the Capitals (18) and trails only McDavid (18). Ovi (15) also ranks second in the goal-scoring race to Leon Draisaitl (18).
Ovechkin’s early-season dominance so far this season can be traced to Evgeny Kuznetsov’s re-emergence and his line’s absolute dominance scoring at five-on-five this season. Ovechkin has been on the ice for 27 five-on-five goals this season – an NHL high per Natural Stat Trick. Tom Wilson and Evgeny Kuznetsov sit tied for sixth in the NHL this season with 20. Ovechkin is also shooting a paltry 17.4 percent this season, five percent higher than his career average. The success comes despite the Capitals’ power play sputtering for most of the season.
Ovechkin is having this much success without Nicklas Backstrom, who has assisted on a bigger percentage of his goals than any other player.
It doesn’t make complete sense, but things are really clicking for Ovechkin. As a playmaker, perhaps better than they ever have before.
