Since losing to the Bruins 7-3 on Monday, Alex Ovechkin has not practiced. The Capitals captain has missed two skates over the last three days due to an upper-body injury.
One play from Monday’s game has come under renewed focus because of that: a second period hit that The Great 8 delivered to his nemesis Trent Frederic.
Trent Frederic appears to have a tantrum next to the #Bruins bench after unsuccessful run in with Ovechkin #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/jlE7Wmq4VQ
— Capitals Replays (@capsreplays) January 11, 2022
The play happened along the wall with a little over a minute left in the stanza. As Frederic chipped the puck down the boards, Ovechkin zeroed in on him and delivered a big bodycheck. Ovechkin drilled his left shoulder into Frederic’s causing the Bruins’ other pest not to return due to an upper-body injury.
Ovechkin and Frederic have a history of violence against each other that includes Ovi spearing the Bruins forward in his baby-making unmentionables.
“Sounds weird but it didn’t hurt,” Frederic later said on a podcast. “No lie.”
Ovechkin was fined $5,000 on the play.
It’s unclear if Monday’s hit caused any damage to Ovechkin as well. The Capitals captain played 7:38 in the third period after delivering the hit per the NHL, which was both more than his ice time that he received in the first (6:18) and second periods (5:09).
Ovechkin overall has looked somewhat uncharacteristic over the last two weeks as well. Uncharacteristic meaning that he has been a little off from his normal level, which is as one of the most dangerous finishers and playmakers in the NHL. The last time Ovi scored a goal was his two-goal outing against the Detroit Red Wings on New Year’s Eve. He only has two assists in his last four games.
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Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB
