Kraken coach Dan Bylsma didn’t want to see Alex Ovechkin score another goal. Before the game, he remarked, “You fear his shot anytime he gets the puck, and I’d prefer not to see it tonight.”
Bylsma knows Ovechkin well. During his six seasons as head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins, he watched Ovechkin score time and again. Bylsma also played with Wayne Gretzky as a rookie in the NHL back in the 1995-96 season, so he appreciates what it means to witness greatness on the ice.
Many believed that Gretzky’s record of 894 goals would be impossible to surpass. Bylsma said, “We all thought that number was untouchable. But Ovechkin has been scoring 50 goals each season for many years. No matter when he gets to that mark, he will be remembered as the greatest goal-scorer of all time because he has proved himself again and again.”
Now in his 20th NHL season, Ovechkin is lighting up the scoreboard again. He leads the Washington Capitals and ranks fourth in the league with 33 goals in just 49 games. The Capitals are on a roll with four straight wins and sit tied for first place with the Winnipeg Jets, positioning themselves as strong contenders for another Stanley Cup.
As Ovechkin chases Gretzky’s record, this pursuit is becoming one of the season’s biggest stories. Some, like teammate John Carlson, even think it could inspire a movie one day.
The Capitals are heading to California next, and nothing seems to hold Ovechkin back. As assistant coach Carbery noted, “You can never underestimate what he can do. It’s a good time to head out west.”
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