Everyone has their favorites — although No. 1 is NOT up for discussion. Now in his fifth season, Capitals star left wing Alex Ovechkin could fill two or three Top 10 lists with all his highlight-reel goals. Here are his best — so far:
10. The Beginning, Oct. 12, 2005
Ovechkin’s fourth career goal comes in his fifth game. As he races toward the net, he takes an aerial pass from teammate Andrew Cassels and knocks the puck down to his skates. At full speed, Ovechkin settles it, dekes goalie Cam Ward and flips a backhand into the goal.
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Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin has crammed plenty of big moments into his young career. The 24-year-old has already played in 21 playoff games and has 15 goals and 15 assists in three series. His most famous postseason performances? One is listed above — the Game 1 winner against the Flyers in 2008. Later in that series – with the Caps facing elimination — Ovechkin scored the go-ahead goal in the third period of Game 6 at Wachovia Center on a breakaway pass from teammate Viktor Kozlov. Last spring there were some good ones, too. How about the co-hat trick with Sidney Crosby in a 4-3 win over the Penguins in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals? Ovechkin also scored twice in a Game 5 loss at Verizon Center.
9. The Hat Trick, Jan. 13, 2006
How about two in one game? First, Ovechkin wraps a pass around Anaheim defenseman Francois Beauchemin to teammate Chris Clark in neutral ice. Clark then feathers a pass back to Ovechkin. He beats two defenders to the puck, dekes goalie J.S. Jiguere and flips home a backhander. Later, he dipsy-doos around defenseman Ruslan Salei, works his way left of the goal and then whirls and fires a shot over Jiguere. He also scores the game-winner in OT.
8. Between the Legs, Jan. 31, 2009
Tied at 2 with the Red Wings, Ovechkin overskates a pass in the offensive zone, but reaches back to corral it, slips it between his own legs to gain control and then beats goalie Ty Conklin. Red Wings’ Ville Leino and Brian Rafalski desperately dive to stop him — both whiff. He adds a late goal to secure win.
7. Inside or Out?, Jan. 19, 2006
Ovechkin shows a forehand move to get past St. Louis defenseman Eric Weinrich on the left wing and then cuts inside on his backhand. He waits just a beat, and then rips a shot over the left shoulder of goalie Curtis Sanford — all in blink of an eye.
6. The Wrister, Jan. 31, 2007
This might be Ovechkin’s greatest game. He breaks his nose in the first period, yet recovers to score four goals, including the game-winner in OT. The third one was his best. Ovechkin has a one-on-one skating into the zone and fires a textbook wrist shot right between the legs of Montreal defenseman Mark Streit and past goalie Cristobal Huet.
5. The Rebound, Nov. 26, 2007
Ovechkin charges up the left wing. He’s one-on-one with Buffalo defenseman Brian Campbell when he slips the puck between Campbell’s legs to get past him. Defenseman Jaroslav Spacek tries to poke it away, but Ovechkin gets the shot off anyway. Ryan Miller makes a pad save, but Ovechkin slams home the rebound.
4. The Takedown, Dec. 26, 2008
Ovechkin takes off up the ice with the puck, and speeds past one Buffalo defenseman — Toni Lydman. Then he tries an inside-out move on Henrik Tallinder as they enter the offensive zone. It works, but Ovechkin is tripped a half-second later. No matter. He still beats goalie Patrick Lalime while sliding forward on his stomach.
3. The Bank, Feb. 18, 2009
The loose puck is in neutral ice. Ovechkin sees Montreal defenseman Roman Hamrlik closing fast and — with his back to the offensive zone — Ovechkin slams on the brakes and banks the puck off the boards with a backhand. Hamrlik skates by helplessly. Ovechkin, meanwhile, chases down the puck, wards off Kyle Chipchura and scores while falling down.
2. The Playoffs, April 11, 2008
In Ovechkin’s first Stanley Cup playoff game, the Caps and Flyers are tied at 4 in the third period. He knocks down a Philadelphia outlet pass and then strips defenseman Lasse Kukkonen in front of the net. Ovechkin waits out goalie Martin Biron and roofs his shot for the game-winner. Then he leaps into the boards — of course.
1. The Goal, Jan. 16, 2006
One of the greatest goals in NHL history. Ovechkin picks up the puck on right wing and tries a curl-and-drag move on Phoenix defenseman Paul Mara, but is knocked down. As he slides toward the left corner of the rink on his back, he instinctively knows the puck is still on his stick and shoots from behind his head, beating goalie Brian Boucher. He has admitted trying this move in practice by himself. It never works.
