Multi-Goal Game for Ovechkin Bodes Well Even with Tough Loss to Canucks

Ask any Capitals fan how Alexander Ovechkin has played of late and you'd get an array of negative answers. 

Seven points in eight games is poor when talking of the "Great Eight."

Saturday night in Vancouver showed flashes of Ovechkin's former self. 

With this tough 7-4 loss, Washington fans are probably a bit torn. On the one hand, Ovechkin looked like his normal self, Nicklas Backstrom assisted on the two Ovechkin goals, and the "Young Guns" appear to be back. On the other hand, terrible defense, goaltending questions and stupid penalties look like real problems for this team looking forward. 

Still, Ovechkin was a nightmare for Roberto Luongo and the Vancouver defense all night long, getting into space and unloading five shots. He was one miraculous glove safe away from a hat-trick as well.

His second score on the power play was pure, vintage Ovechkin. 

He stepped off coverage, got open for the pass and unloaded near the faceoff circle past Luongo.

Ovechkin's first was less than pretty, but the determination he showed on the play to bat it in past Luongo is something to talk about. 

Throughout the night, Ovechkin was his normal and explosive self and helped set up plenty of quality scoring chances in the Vancouver zone.

However, even with some good individual efforts, Washington could not escape taking unnecessary penalties. They gave up three power-play goals to the Canucks, just two days after they lost their first game of the season to Edmonton 2-1 with two power-play goals against.

If the Capitals (Ovechkin included as he had two PIMs) don't fix their penalty troubles, they could find themselves dropping a few more before getting back to their winning ways.

Even though the Capitals have had some success so far this season by starting off 7-2, they have been lacking the offensive flair that they are used to from Ovechkin. 

Finally, it appears as if the flair is back. Let's just hope it is here to stay and that Washington can tone down the penalties.