041616 | RMNB

Here’s How Not to Defend Alex Ovechkin on the Power Play

I love the seagull. (Photshop by HFBoards user @IPD)

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin has led the NHL in power-play goals over the last four seasons (19 in 2015-16, 25 in 2014-15, 24 in 2013-14, 16 in 2012-13). Oodles of those goals have been off his one-timer from the left circle, an Ovi Shot From The Ovi Spot. This is not a secret. Twenty nine teams know about this technique and every single one of them has a plan for it.

Which is why Ovi’s second-period power-play goal against the Flyers on Saturday was so curious.

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By Ian Oland 8 years ago

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Braden Holtby Has Stopped 60 of 61 Shots Through the First Two Games of Round One

Photo: Rob Carr

Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby is stopping pucks this postseason at a rate of 98.4 percent. On the other side of the ice, Philadelphia Flyers goalie Steve Mason is saving just 88.9 percent of shots on net. In Game Two of the first round on Saturday, Holtby turned aside all but one of Philly’s 42 shots. Despite the Capitals getting heavily outplayed at even-strength, they won 4-1.

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By Chris Gordon 8 years ago

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You Need to See Alex Ovechkin’s Reaction to Mike Richards’ Big Hit

Saturday night, Mike Richards delivered one of the biggest bodychecks of the Caps-Flyers series, a jolting shoulder-to-shoulder hit of Nick Cousins at center ice. The hit was so ferocious, Alex Ovechkin got up out of his seat and let out, as one reader described it, a banshee scream.

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By Ian Oland 8 years ago

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The Caps Were Compassionate About Steve Mason’s Bad Goal But the Internet Was Savage

Photoshop via @dasimonetta

In the second period, Jason Chimera scored what I’m going to assume is the flukiest goal of the postseason. At center ice, Chimera deflected a Karl Alzner clearing attempt from the Caps defensive zone. Flyers goaltender Steve Mason failed to get his stick in proper position and the puck slowly rolled through his pads. After the game, Capitals players felt sympathy for Mason.

“I couldn’t even watch the replay of it,” Braden Holtby said. “As a fellow goalie, you never want to see that happen. As a competitor you just don’t want to see it and you feel for the other guy. He’ll come back and he’ll come back hard.”

Holtby’s teammates expressed similar sympathy.

“When I was a little kid, Andrei Markov scored a goal from behind the net,” Alex Ovechkin said. “Sometimes that kind of stuff happens.”

Said Alzner: “I’m no goalie, but I’ve tried to handle spinning pucks before and you have no idea where they’re going. It’s unfortunate for him, for them.”

Meanwhile, the internet had a field day.

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By Ian Oland 8 years ago

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With Their Backs Against the Wall, the Flyers May Turn to Michal Neuvirth in Net

Photo: Rob Carr

Steve Mason knew the questions were coming. He did not hide from them. For him, the only way out of one of the most embarrassing moments of his life was through it.

“I messed up,” Mason told reporters after a 4-1 loss in Game Two of the first round against the Washington Capitals.

Less than two and a half minutes into the second period, Mason allowed a rolling ground ball to pass through his legs. Mason had made an impressive save a minute earlier, possibly tweaking a muscle, but he denied that played any part in what happened next: a puck deflected by Jason Chimera at the redline that slid into the back of the net with Mason frozen in place.

“It’s my fault and I realize that,” Mason said.

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By Chris Gordon 8 years ago

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John Carlson Nails Brayden Schenn With a Counter Hit, Admires It

During the third period of Game One, Flyers forward Brayden Schenn dispensed several questionable hits. Schenn launched himself into Mike Richards along the boards, knocked Evgeny Kuznetsov head-first into the crossbar, and hit Karl Alzner after the game ended.

Saturday night, the Caps delivered some humble pie to Schenn. Alex Ovechkin checked the forward into the Flyers bench during the first period. Then John Carlson sent the dude flying when Schenn tried to light him up as he skated out from behind the net.

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By Ian Oland 8 years ago

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Mike Richards Nails Nick Cousins at Center Ice With Huge Open Ice Hit

In Game One, Brayden Schenn leaped off the ice to try and lay out Mike Richards. “It’s Game One,” Richards said to RMNB’s Chris Gordon. “You’re gonna have a chance to finish your check on him later on.”

Well, Richards didn’t have a chance to get Schenn back. But he did teach a lesson to Nick Cousins.

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By Ian Oland 8 years ago

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Braden Holtby is the Wonderwall: Caps beat Flyers 4-1

Chimera-bration!

The pain of the playoffs usually goes like this: the Caps are dominating play but can’t crack the goalie. They do everything right, but they just can’t hit the back of the net.

Game Two was the exact freaking opposite. The Caps were on their heels from the drop, but Flyers goalie Steve Mason wasn’t exactly Halak-like in his crease work. A trio of goals in the first forty made this a solid win, and that curious reversal of fortunes made Saturday night actually kind of pleasant and fun. That’s not the Caps playoff hockey I know, but I could get used to it.

John Carlson scored first, using patience and a couple screens to crack Steve Mason. And crack he did. Mason next allowed a high-fiber softy from Jason Chimera early in the second period. Jakub Voracek narrowed the score by seizing on a loose puck, but Alex Ovechkin got an Ovi shot from the Ovi spot before the second intermission to make it 3-1.

With two minutes and change left in the third, Nick Backstrom got himself on the ledger, zipping a ~~glove~~ stick-side goal on poor Steve Mason. Locker called it “icing on the cake,” which reminds me– we should eat some cake!

Caps beat Flyers 4-1! Caps lead the series 2-0!

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By Peter Hassett 8 years ago

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Alex Ovechkin Scores From His Office After Nicklas Backstrom Needles a Pass Through TJ Oshie’s Legs

Alex Ovechkin just scored his first goal of the postseason. It was an Ovi Shot From The Ovi Spot on the power play. The goal, Ovechkin’s 37th career playoff tally, gave the Caps a 3-1 lead heading into the second intermission.

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By Ian Oland 8 years ago

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Jason Chimera’s Goal a.k.a. Why Steve Mason Will Be Drinking This Summer

Jason Chimera has put the Capitals up 2-0 in the second period, but that ain’t the story.

Philadelphia goalie Steve Mason, who I promise you is a good goalie, allowed a flat, slow puck casually shot from behind the blue line to dribble through his five hole.

It’s basically an own goal. In the playoffs. In the Capitals’ favor. What on earth.

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By Ian Oland 8 years ago

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