Cal Clutterbuck’s Alex Ovechkin Power Play Shadow; An Ovie First For Maxim Tsyplakov
Alex Ovechkin tied Wayne Gretzky for the most goals in NHL history on Saturday after a two-goal performance. Will he surpass him on Sunday againt the Islanders?
The New York Islanders will do their best on Sunday afternoon to not let Alex Ovechkin break Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record.
The 39-year-old scored twice in the Washington Capitals’ 5-3 win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday to tie the record at 894, but told his head coach, Spencer Carbery, that he did not want to set the record with an empty-net dagger.
In 71 career games against the Islanders, Ovechkin has 44 goals.
Following the Islanders’ 3-1 win against the Minnesota Wild on Friday, former Islander turned analyst Cal Clutterbuck spoke about facing Ovechkin on MSG Network’s postgame show.
As many people know, Ovechkin’s go-to shot is from inside the left face-off circle, usually on the power play, where he waits patiently to be teed up for a one-time finish.
Clutterbuck was a catalyst on the Islanders’ penalty kill for years. When he saw No. 8 out there, he knew he had one job: not to let Ovechkin get wide open.
So, once the Capitals garnered possession in the Islanders’ zone, Clutterbuck would skate right to Ovechkin and try to box him out, following his every move.
But that’s not all. He’d also converse with the Great 8.
He would talk to him for the whole 45-second shift.
Clutterbuck is one of the better chirpers we’ve seen in this game, but these elongated chats were just chats, likely Clutterbuck trying to do his best to distract Ovi.
Eventually, Ovechkin would have enough.
“You going to move?” Ovechkin would ask Clutterbuck, who responded with “no.”
Then, once Clutter finished his penalty-kill shift, he’d hop off the ice, and the next person would be tasked with the same job.
Clutterbuck’s mindset into essentially velcroing himself to Ovechkin’s tucked jersey was likely similar to the mindset of every player tasked with defending him.
That’s why Ovechkin’s success is mind-boggling because everyone knew exactly what his plan was, yet no one could stop it…you know, except Ilya Sorokin, who has denied all four shots he’s seen from Ovechkin in three career games against his fellow countryman.
I caught up with Maxim Tsyplakov following the Islanders’ 3-1 win against the Minnesota Wild about facing Ovechkin.
Rosner: Growing up, how much of an impact did Ovechkin make on you?
Tsyplakov: “You just always looked at his highlights and see how he just one-times the puck so simply. Even when there was a goalie, there was an open net. It’s crazy.”
Rosner: What will it be like for you to face him for the first time?
Tsyplakov: “I would love to share the ice with him. Because when we played against Washington, he was hurt. I would like, maybe, to hit him.”
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