RED ALERT: An Ovechkin edition
Ovie Injury Status Recap . . . A ton has been written already here and everywhere else on the injury status of Alexander Ovechkin. A recap of what we know. Ovechkin was downgraded yesterday from day to day to week to week.
What does it mean? Means the injury is a little more serious, meaning, he will miss Wednesday. Whether he plays Friday or not or misses more time past Friday is anyone's guess. That's it in a nutshell.
Missing Ovie . . . Will the Caps miss Ovie? Sure they will. But, this team is no longer Ovechkin and the rest. Besides Ovechkin, there is some serious firepower on this roster and those guns will need to step up in Ovie's absence. I specifically am talking about four guys: Alexander Semin, Tomas Fleichmann, Mike Green, and Brooks Laich. Nicklas Backstrom is an abvious and will send the helpers to the way of the other guns. But they have to convert.
Semin has cooled off after a hot start. He can be a prolific scorer, mind dazzling at times, and his puck handling can be pure wizardry. Semin also tends to slip into cold spells. This is a specific instance where Semin needs to rise and help provide the goals that will be absent from an absent #8. Tomas Fleichmann has played well, very well, after missing most of the start of the season. Since his return, Flash has scored 2 goals and 1 assist. His opportunities to score have been plentiful. Flash has to convert those opportunities to scores and has to continue going to the net.
Brooks Laich took over the mantle on Sunday when Ovechkin went down, responding with a 2 goal performance. The Caps will turn to Laich for more of net presence and net driving. Laich is having a good season, scoring 6 goals and 8 assists. He has scored 2 goals and 3 assists over his last 3 games. Laich brings an intensity to the ice and a willingness to go front net. They will need Laich's continued surge. Mike Green has been on a tear. Greenie has an 8 game scoring streak. During that stretch, Green has tallied 1 goal and 9 assists. But, during Ovie's absence, the Caps will be looking for more Green goals, particularly on the power play. Last season, Green fired home 18 power play goals, second only to Alex Ovechkin. This year, Green has ZERO. They will look for Green to step up on the power play in Ovie's absence.
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