There was a lot of concern around the nation's capital last Sunday when the Washington star took a Zdeno Chara shot off the foot in the Caps' final tune-up game, and worry increased when Ovechkin left practice early Wednesday with an undisclosed injury. Then, like most of his teammates, Ovechkin struggled in the team's opener in Atlanta, with the turning point being him getting turned away by Kari Lehtonen on a penalty shot early in the third period in Washington's 7-4 loss.
In that game against the Thrashers, Ovechkin didn't flash his usual speed, and last year's leading scorer was held without a single point despite a wide-open pace to the contest.
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SAN JOSE, CA - OCTOBER 11: Joe Thornton #19 of the San Jose Sharks tries to catch up to the action during a NHL game on October 11, 2008 at HP Pavilion at San Jose in San Jose, California. (Photo by Don Smith/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Joe Thornton
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SAN JOSE, CA - OCTOBER 11: Jeremy Roenick #27 of the San Jose Sharks takes a face-off during a NHL game against the Los Angeles Kings on October 11, 2008 at HP Pavilion at San Jose in San Jose, California. (Photo by Don Smith/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jeremy Roenick
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SAN JOSE, CA - OCTOBER 11: Dustin Brown #23 of the Los Angeles Kings is taken down by Dan Boyle #22 of the San Jose Sharks during a NHL game on October 11, 2008 at HP Pavilion at San Jose in San Jose, California. (Photo by Don Smith/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Dustin Brown;Dan Boyle
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SAN JOSE, CA - OCTOBER 11: Anze Kopitar #11 of the Los Angeles Kings tries to control the puck with Christian Ehrhoff #10 of the San Jose Sharks on his back during a NHL game on October 11, 2008 at HP Pavilion at San Jose in San Jose, California. (Photo by Don Smith/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Anze Kopitar;Christian Ehrhoff
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SAN JOSE, CA - OCTOBER 11: Evgeni Nabokov #20 of the San Jose Sharks makes a great save during a NHL game against the San Jose Sharks on October 11, 2008 at HP Pavilion at San Jose in San Jose, California. (Photo by Don Smith/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Evgeni Nabokov
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Los Angeles Kings defenseman Matt Greene, left, checks San Jose Sharks right wing Devin Setoguchi, right, in the third period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008. San Jose won 3-1. (AP Photo/ Tony Avelar)
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San Jose Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov, of Kazakhstan, deflects a shot on goal in the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008. San Jose won 3-1. (AP Photo/ Tony Avelar)
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Los Angeles Kings left wing Alexander Frolov, of Russia, tries to keep the puck away from San Jose Sharks center Jeremy Roenick, left, in the third period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008. San Jose won 3-1. (AP Photo/ Tony Avelar)
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Vancouver Canucks' Pavol Demitra, right, from Slovakia, gets pinned to the boards by Calgary Flames' defenceman Cory Sarich, right, during second period NHL hockey action in Calgary, Alberta, Canada on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jeff McIntosh)
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Vancouver Canucks' Rick Rypien, right, knocks the helmet off Calgary Flames' Brandon Prust as linesmen pull them apart during second period NHL hockey action in Calgary, Alberta, Canada on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jeff McIntosh)
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So, after looking sluggish in the first 25 minutes of Washington's home opener against Chicago, Ovechkin does what he does best - take over the momentum of a game.Five minutes deep into the second period, Ovechkin corralled the puck at center ice, and then made the Blackhawks' big-free agent signing Brian Campbell a $7.1-million dollar screen in firing home his first goal of the season through the defenseman and fellow Russian Nikolai Khabiboulin.
Then, in the third period, Ovechkin added his second of the year by blasting a puck past Khabibulin to seal a 4-2 Washington win to give the sellout crowd of 18,277 a sigh of relief after Ovechkin's (and Washington's) slow start to the season.
The spotlight is much brighter on the Caps and Ovechkin this year, with the team's superstar being the first player in a dozen years to eclipse the 60-goal mark and Washington being the heavy pre-season favorite to capture the Southeast Divison for a second straight season. Some pundits are calling for a 70-goal season, with some even suggesting a near goal-per-game pace for the scorer over 82 contests.
Ovechkin's role with the Capitals has expanded this season as well, as despite the scare off of Chara's heavy shot, the Russian star is playing on the Capitals' penalty-killing unit now, with him spending over four minutes of ice time Saturday with Chicago having the extra man. He also logged over 24 minutes of total ice time, second only to the Caps' young defenseman Mike Green.
How big a deal is it for Ovechkin to get going?
Well, consider the last two times in the past decade when Washington has come into the season with the kind of expectations surrounding this team, the Caps have fallen flat.
In the season following the team's 1998 Stanley Cup finals run, Washington was ill-prepared for playing the favorite and recorded a miserable 68-point campaign. On the heels of the Jaromir Jagr trade in 2001-02, Washington wasn't quite as bad, but still missed out on the postseason and the Czech star never quite fit in with the Caps before he was shipped off to the Rangers.
So, with Washington getting lit up by Atlanta Friday night, and falling behind just 26 seconds on a soft goal allowed by Jose Theodore minutes after raising last year's division banner to the Verizon Center rafters, the crowd wasn't happy. Ovechkin seemed to struggle out of the gate Saturday, and didn't quite have the step he flashed last year to get separation from opposing defensemen over the first four periods of the campaign.
But, with that move on Campbell, Ovechkin showed the flair that made him the MVP last season and seemed to get into the groove.
Which gave the Caps fans, and his fantasy owners, a big sigh of relief.
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