Russian Machine Never Breaks is proud to announce the debut of our new webcomic, Shinny!
Brought to you by writer Peter Hassett and illustrator Rachel Cohen, Shinny! is a weekly comic all about hockey fandom. It’s the story of how hockey breaks and mends hearts, how it brings people together and smashes people together, and how there’s a place for everyone in it. Plus: hockey jokes.
By Rachel Cohen 10 years ago
2012 is just about done, and although we’ve covered about 40 fewer hockey games than we wanted, we’re now delighted to take a look back at the year that was. We’ve ranked our top 10 stories based on traffic so that you can a) wax nostalgic on the days when we actually watched hockey, and b) get the inside scoop on what stories are popular and what stories bomb. Follow me past the jump for the countdown.
By Peter Hassett 10 years ago
GIF by welshhockeyfan
Don’t make Alex Ovechkin angry. The Montreal Canadiens learned this lesson a few years ago when Francis Bouillon bloodied the Russian machine and he responded by scoring four goals — including the overtime game-winner.
On Sunday, Ovechkin, perhaps peeved after seeing his 14-game point streak end and his BFF Nicky sidelined from a neck injury, took a rare “handling the puck with his hands” penalty during the second period. Then, from the penalty box, he watched CSKA Moscow score on the resulting power play. Ovechkin scored on his next shift. Quickly. Emphatically. Angrily.
As Konstantin Gorovikov hit Ovi with a pass, the Capitals captain skated towards CSKA’s net decisively, easily curling and dragging around Denis Denisov, and then scoring on Rastislav Stana while falling to the ice. Ovechkin’s celebration? HULK ROAR.
Forsberg and Latvian captain Edgars Siksna exchange ceremonial banners before the game. (Photo credit: Richard Wolowicz/HHOF-IIHF Images)
Last year, Washington Capitals top prospect and Team Russia captain Evgeny Kuznetsov was held pointless heading into Russia’s third game of the World Junior Championships, despite leading his team in shots and scoring chances. Then he broke out for an astonishing nine points against Latvia, a feat we termed the Kuznetrick.
Capitals 2012 1st-round pick and Team Sweden captain Filip Forsberg seems to be following the same script. Through two games, Forsberg had 16 shots, but just one point to the effort, a goal against the Czech Republic. In Sweden’s third game of the 2013 WJC against Latvia Saturday, Forsberg had his biggest point total of the tourney, collecting two assists and firing four shots on goal in his team’s 5-1 win. Caps 7th-round pick Christian Djoos also tallied his first career WJC point, an assist on a third period goal by Viktor Arvidsson.
Highlights of the game are below.
By 10 years ago
so sick))))) (Photo credit: @kostenkosergey1)
Three months after having surgery to repair his wonky shoulder, Washington Capitals 7th-round pick Sergey Kostenko made his professional debut for the Reading Royals on Friday. And it went about as well as you’d expect. The 20-year-old Novokuznetsk-native made 25 saves and picked up the victory, despite showing some rustiness in the third period where he allowed three goals in seven minutes. The best part of Kostenko’s debut however, came in the second period when he picked up a secondary assist on a goal by Yannick Tifu. Um, awesome. Do all Russian goaltenders have offensive upside like this?
Anyways, help us congratulate Sergey on his big night by shooting him a nice tweet here: @kostenkosergey1!
Imagine Ovi with a ‘stache. (Photo illustration by Ian Oland)
In folicular endorsement news, Sport Business Daily is reporting that Alex Ovechkin and Gillette have agreed on a two-year extension, which will keep the Russian machine’s face as smooth as a baby’s behind through the Sochi Winter Olympics. Ovi will continue to serve as a global ambassador and make awesome commercials for the world famous brand too.
The most interesting part of the new agreement, however, is in the details. While many Capitals players grow mustaches in November to raise money for men’s health, Ovechkin is contractually prohibited from doing so. Well, not anymore!
Riley Barber celebrates Sean Kuraly’s goal. (Photo credit: Andre Ringuette/HHOF-IIHF Images).
Caps prospect Riley Barber has been one of the biggest surprises of college hockey this year and on Thursday, the 2012 sixth-round draft pick scored a goal and added two assists in his first career WJC game for the United States, an 8-0 rout of Germany.
Video of his big day is below!
By 10 years ago
Captain Filip Forsberg leads his team to a convincing victory over the Czechs. (Photo credit: Andrey Starostin/Scanpix)
On Wednesday, in his first World Juniors game as team captain, Washington Capitals top prospect Filip Forsberg scored a goal in Sweden’s 4-1 win over the Czech Republic. It was Forsberg’s first goal of his WJC career, after getting just one assist during Sweden’s championship run last year.
Video is below the jump.
By 10 years ago
“Owwie!” (Photo credit: championat.com)
Almost one year ago to the day, Calgary Flames’ winger Rene Bourque elbowed Nicklas Backstrom in the side of the head, forcing the Capitals number-one center to the sidelines for three months with a concussion. The Capitals struggled in his absence, but 40 games later, after being magically healed by Tiesto, Backstrom returned for the playoff push and suffered no apparent setbacks.
On Wednesday, Backstrom fans got another scare when Nicklas took an awkward second period hit from Milan Kytnár during Dynamo’s 2-1 (SO) win over Slovan.
