Friday, 03.20.2009 / 8:50 AM / Game-Day Skate By Brian Hunter - NHL.com Staff Writer
Can’t please ‘em all – If this had been the National Football League, it’s safe to say Alex Ovechkin would have incurred a 15-yard penalty for the show he put on after scoring his 50th goal of the season during the Washington Capitals’ 5-2 defeat of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Ovechkin, who reached the milestone for the third time in his four NHL seasons, celebrated by dropping his stick to the ice and making motions like he was warming his hands over it. The choreographed “hot stick” move didn’t amuse Lightning coach Rick Tocchet, who thought it was disrespectful coming on the St. Pete Times Forum ice.
“I think he’s a terrific player (but) he went down a notch in my books after that,” Tocchet said. “It’s not something I like. It’s hard for me to accept, to see something like that in our building.”
Even Ovechkin’s own coach, Bruce Boudreau, said he planned to have a word with his star player. Teammate Mike Green, who increased his own goal total to 27 with a pair of tallies, could have been part of the act, but respectfully declined.
“He told me he was going to do it,” Green said. “He wanted me to join in, but there was no way I’d join in on that. I just kind of stood back and let him do what he does.”
no, considering the significance of that particular goal for him. if he was doing it after EVERY goal, then yea. but i don’t mind his usual celebration, the guy just loves playing the game
the nhl is still pretty old school in terms on celebrations like that. i for one don’t mind a good celebration after a milestone or series clinching goal. however most of these coaches and older players have that mentality that it’s all disrespectful and don’t want to see it in the game.
in my opinion though, the nhl needs another hundred guys like ovechkin. if there was more personality and emotion in the game then maybe it could compete with the other big three sports and not be on the bottom of the ratings charts all the time. sports are supposed to be entertaining.
Seriously. Nothing wrong with it in my eyes. Its 50 goals, he doesn’t celebrate like that at all. If it was done on home ice I don’t think anyone would have said anything.
Apparently nobody really knows what the fans like to see. I lost respect for the NFL by basically taking the TD celebrations out of the game. This is what fans love to see. Is guys celebrating after scoring for their teams. These guys are professional athletes and coaches and they’re going to get offended that someone celebrates a milestone acheivement? or even scoring a point? Give me a break and get over it. If someone has a problem with the way Ovechkin celebrates then do something about it by stopping him from scoring and not crying about it to the media after he beats your team.
How many players are that talented anymore? The kid hits 50 again hell let him do it. He sells the tickets and took that team from shit to IT. Its amazing how a single player of that caliber can make a team that much better. The day that buffalo gets someone who is that good and not being over paid (cough vanek), will be the day that i sign up to buy season tickets. Kids a winner, let him do what he wants.
Let him celebrate. The guy has to be the most passionate and die hard player in the league. I dont see the big deal with it at all. Id be celebrating too.