With the eyes of the hockey world hyper-focused on Boston for Thursday’s highly anticipated 4 Nations Face-off contest between the U.S. and Canada, the Washington Capitals had their sights on a championship that will be decided later this year: The Stanley Cup Final.
The Capitals returned to the ice for practice, focused more on their upcoming push for another Stanley Cup run than the international tilt.
The Eastern Conference-leading Capitals were the only NHL squad without any players selected for the international tournament, but they didn’t seem to mind. When players returned to practice on Wednesday and Thursday, they lauded the extra rest.
“I think everybody was tired, lots of hockey, lots of practice and now restart your brain and get ready for the second half and, most important, for playoffs,” said Alex Ovechkin, whose native Russian squad was not invited to the midseason tournament. “I think you have extra days to recover; don’t think about hockey. Spend time with your family, parents. It was a vacation; it’s kind of nice.”
That break was especially helpful for the 39-year-old Ovechkin, who missed 16 games with a fractured fibula.
Ovechkin took his family on a vacation to Florida, balancing fun in the sun with workout sessions led by former NHL defenseman Darius Kasparaitis. The Capitals’ captain said he wanted to stay in shape to carry momentum through the end of the season after scoring four goals in his last five games before the break.
“I’m expecting for him to be a real impactful player for us in these last 27 games of the season. He looks great; he’s got tons of energy,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said Thursday. “It feels like he had a really good break to get some work in, but also to get mentally refreshed for this last little stretch.”
When the 4 Nations celebrations pass, Ovechkin will return to the NHL’s center stage as he chases Wayne Gretzky’s goals record. “The Great Eight” trails “The Great One” by 16 goals with 27 games remaining in the season.
On his current goal-scoring pace — both on the season and throughout his storied career — Ovechkin would break the record before the season ends. The three-time MVP has often hit a higher gear in the spring, including a surprising 22 goals in 35 games after last year’s All-Star break.
Ovechkin is eyeing a repeat performance this year.
“I hope so,” he said. “Why not?”
The surefire Hall of Famer isn’t thinking about Gretzky’s record, though. At least, that’s what he says publicly. He hasn’t spoken about the playoffs yet, either.
“It’s still 20-something games left,” he said. “We can’t look forward too far. We’re just going to take it game by game and it’s nice to be back and fresh.”
The Capitals have a clear path to the top seed in the Eastern Conference when the playoffs begin in late April. Washington currently leads the league in point percentage, trailing only the Western Conference’s Winnipeg Jets in total points.
According to Tankathon, Washington has the fifth-easiest remaining strength of schedule in the league. Matchups with the Jets and defending champion Florida Panthers could prove difficult, but they’re offset by matchups with the cellar-dwelling San Jose Sharks and the lowly Chicago Blackhawks.
Regardless of the opponent, the Capitals will likely rely on Ovechkin to buoy the team as the postseason approaches. Despite missing time with a leg injury, the longest-tenured Capital leads the team in goals.
Long-time teammate Tom Wilson, who lamented not joining Ovechkin in Florida, said he’s looking forward to seeing the winger in high-leverage games down the stretch.
“I know he’ll be flying,” Wilson said. “He’ll be leading the way.”
The Capitals’ playoff push continues Saturday with a trip to Pittsburgh to face the rival Penguins. The squad returns to the home ice on Sunday afternoon for a game against the Edmonton Oilers and superstar center Connor McDavid.
“When you can see and smell the finish line, they can feel that as players,” Carbery said of the regular season’s final two months. “And [Ovechkin] especially, as one of the ultimate competitors this sport has ever seen, that’s what you look forward to seeing as you get down to the short runway that we have left.”
