Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin was on the wrong end of the NHL’s justice department this week with a two-game suspension for his knee-on-knee collision with Carolina’s Tim Gleason. It was Ovechkin’s second ejection in three games and not the first controversial hit of his career.
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But teammates insist Ovechkin is not a dirty player. Many around the league agree. A select few do not:
Dec. 2, 2006 » Ovechkin drills Buffalo’s Daniel Briere from behind. He earns a boarding major (5 minutes), fighting major (5) and the first game misconduct (10) of career. Briere says the hit “was a gutless play on his part. I was defenseless.” Of course, Briere later retaliated by spearing Ovechkin in the groin. Way to cede the moral high ground, Danny.
May 6, 2007 » Hits to the head are endemic in the NHL. They are not tolerated in international play. So Ovechkin sat a game after a shoulder check on Swiss forward Valentin Wirz at the 2007 World Championships. Ovechkin exited the penalty box and leveled Wirz, who was skating with his head down. But it’s an automatic call at that level.
Jan. 1, 2009 » Scary moment when Ovechkin slammed Tampa Bay’s Jamie Heward into the boards. Heward was knocked unconscious for 90 seconds. But no penalty was assessed and Heward later absolved his former teammate, telling the St. Petersburg Times:
“In my opinion [Ovechkin] is probably one of the cleanest players in the NHL as far as being honest. He’ll play hard on you, but … I know it wasn’t intentional.”
May 8, 2009 » It’s hard to argue that this one was intentional, either, since the hit came against good friend and countryman Sergei Gonchar. The Penguins defenseman moved to elude a big hit behind Washington’s goal in Game 4 of Eastern Conference semifinals. Ovechkin caught him with a right knee, but was whistled only for a tripping penalty and not suspended or fined. The Penguins were not happy.
Nov. 25, 2009 » Another boarding major (5) and game misconduct (10) — his second career ejection. Ovechkin hit Buffalo forward Patrick Kaleta from behind. Ironically, Kaleta has a reputation of his own and just two days later was himself suspended for boarding.
