Alex Ovechkin can do more than just score goals. He’s always been known to bring a physical presence to his game, and opponents can never relax when he’s around.
Ovechkin has had a fantastic season when it comes to scoring. He passed Gordie Howe for second in goals all-time, and the hunt for Wayne Gretzky on No. 1 is on. Ovechkin had looked simply unreal before Wednesday’s contest against the New York Islanders.
He had five goals in his last five games, and many thought the streak would continue against the Islanders. But for the first time in weeks, he finished the game without a goal but still left a mark–on Adam Pelech’s back.
With just over two minutes left in the third period, Islanders’ Adam Pelech had the puck in the Capitals’ zone.
When he turned around, he had no idea that Alex Ovechkin was coming against him at full speed, and he had no time to react or adjust.
Pelech was steamrolled and was sent awkwardly into the half boards at the Capitals’ bench. It was obvious that the hit from Ovechkin hurt Pelech, and he had his right hand to the back when he skated to his bench. On social media, opinions are divided whether it was a clean hit or not.
Many thought it was a big, textbook, clean hit. But many also believed that Pelech was a victim of boarding, that he was in a vulnerable position, and that it was an obvious injury risk.
Ovechkin wasn’t called on a penalty that would give the Islanders a powerplay in the game’s deciding moments. Instead, the score was 1-1 after regulation, and the game was decided on a shootout, where the Islanders clinched the W.
