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It’s game seven. It’s do or die. Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin isn’t going to stand idly by as his team’s season hangs in the balance.

With 11:38 left in the first period, Ovechkin stepped out on the ice for a shift, and it was inspiring. Ovechkin laid out three New York Rangers players with big hits and left the ice to a roaring standing ovation from the sold out Verizon Center crowd.

Let’s recap.

First, Ovi brutally knocked over Rangers defenseman John Moore in open ice.

Next, like a heat-seeking missile, Ovechkin crunches a leaning-over Ryan McDonagh in the shoulders, knocking him hard into the boards.

Finally, Ovi rattled Steve Eminger along the boards.

GIFs by welshhockeyfan

All in all, Ovechkin was credited with seven hits in period one. The New York Rangers had 21 in total.

Photo credit: Greg Fiume

The Caps’ division-clinching 5-3 win over Winnipeg Tuesday was filled with great moments: like George McPhee’s fist-pump, Matt Hendricks open-audition to be in the Jabbawockeez, and fans serenading Alex Ovechkin with a loud M-V-P chant. But let’s not overlook Mike Green‘s magic moment, the one where he hip-checked forever-Penguin Eric Tangradi head-over-heels.

GIF by welshhockeyfan

Not only is retro Ovechkin back, so is the late-80′s Green.

Photo credit: @luvdcaps

All things considered, Alex Ovechkin had a quiet night on Tuesday. But, at this point, a quiet night for Alex Ovechkin means a goal to clinch a division championship, a crucial assist, and one literally earth-shattering hit. Verizon Center serenaded Ovechkin to “MVP” chants and signs, cheering him on in his comeback season. It was a perfect night.

Lets’ review.

Ovechkin first got on the scoreboard with a beautiful assist for Nicklas Backstrom in the second period. That big goal gave the Caps a 3-2 lead and seized back the momentum they had surrendered after two unanswered goals by Winnipeg. There’s not much to say here — well, other than Ovechkin’s hands are softer than 1000-thread count linens.

Thanks to @stopthehats for the video.

Then the crowd let Ovi know that, if they were credentialed members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association, he would totally have their vote for the Hart.

M-V-P, M-V-P, M-V-P

Next, Ovechkin decided to throw his weight around, crushing Evander Kane at center ice as the two both went for a loose puck. Kane gingerly skated back to the Jets bench, and regional seismologists are still struggling to comprehend the hit.

Finally, with 29 seconds left in the game and the Caps defending a one-goal lead, Ovechkin scored an empty-net goal to clinch the Southeast Division title for the Capitals. I screamed, Joe B screamed, we all screamed for ice cream O-vie.

Video via @bryancasto

Here are just a few of the signs, photos, and other celebrations of a special night.

Photo credit: @oviethebulldog

Photo credit: @Solivesounds

Photo credit: @unibrouw

Photo credit: @VTcaps

Way back in November, Igor and I spoke to Dmitry Orlov’s best friend Alex Burmistrov in Hershey. When we asked Burmistrov about his friendship with his fellow Russian, the Jets forward said, “I don’t think either one of us ever hit another when we played against each other.”

Alex Ovechkin and Alex Semin do not have such an agreement.

With fifteen minutes left in the second period of Sasha Bowl IV, Ovechkin and Semin raced for a puck along the boards. Semin did not make it there.

Here’s a closer shot of it. (GIF by welshhockeyfan)

With no regard for his bff, Ovechkin totally counter-hit Semin to the ice and snatched up the loose puck.

The hit was so bone-rattling that Semin later had to dig deep into the crevices of his Sashaness to make sure everything was in its correct place.

GIF by welshhockeyfan

The Caps beat the Canes three out of four times this season. They’re two points out of first place and .500 again. In addition to rocking his best friend, Ovechkin is now rocking the rest of the NHL. He’s third in goals and first in shots. Good stuff.

Photo credit: Gregg Forwerck

Photo credit: Paul Bereswill

Claude Giroux is one of the best and toughest players in the NHL. Last season, he had 93 points for the Flyers and then played beer pong two weeks after getting dual wrist surgery. It’s hard not to like him.

Capitals rookie defenseman Steve Oleksy is pretty tough customer too. Midway through the third period of Sunday’s game, as Giroux tried to glove the puck, Oleksy delivered a big, clean, open-ice hit on the Flyers captain.

GIF by welshhockeyfan

It was the epitome of a clean hit, but don’t tell that to the Flyers’ Jake Voracek.

After Giroux hit the ice, Voracek skated a beeline towards Oleksy with the fiery passion of a thousand burning suns.

Voracek bloodied Oleksy in the fight, as the latter had his jersey pulled over his head.

While Flyers fans raised to their feet to salute their young Czech for idiotically fighting a player after a clean hit, they got really mad when the Philadelphia announcer read out the penalties. That was pleasant.

Voracek received a five-minute major for fighting, a ten-minute misconduct, two-minutes for instigating, and two-minutes for instigating while wearing a face shield. I’ve never seen an instigator called in a Caps game, so excuse me while I go change my trousers.

Both Marcus Johansson and Alex Ovechkin scored on the resulting four-minute power play. Then they gave up their two-goal lead in the final ten minutes and loss in overtime 5-4.

Let’s give a stick tap to Steve Oleksy for making a great play on open ice. That bloody sacrifice should have been rewarded with a big win, but big wins are hard to come by this year.

Photo credit: Paul Bereswill

Photo credit: Marianne Helm

We’re always talking about what’s wrong with Alex Ovechkin (see Milbury, Mike). But for once why don’t we discuss some of the stuff that’s going right with the guy? For starters: the buzzcut.

Ovi was the best player on the ice during Thursday’s must-win game (whatever that means) against the Winnipeg Jets. The Russian machine scored a clutch third period power play goal, assisted on two other Caps tallies, and had the most inspiring shift of the game —  wherein he walloped both Bryan Little and Mark Stuart with big hits — all in Washington’s 4-0 shutout win over Winnipeg.

GIFs by welshhockeyfan

Ovechkin had five shots and three hits in total, his fourth multi-point game on the year. In only one other game this season has Ovi scoared moar points: that was the night of the hat trick against New Jersey.

If the Capitals are going to somehow inch back into the playoff race, they will need more efforts like this.

Asked Alex Ovechkin what he saw on the shift with the big hits on Little, Stuart: “Bodies” #Caps

— Katie Carrera (@kcarrera) March 22, 2013

Video of Ovechkin’s Goal

Photo credit: Mike Stobe

Hershey Bears call-up Steve Oleksy has played only three games in the NHL, but he’s made a big impression already. During his Washington Capitals debut, he scored his first NHL point, and he leveled Shawn Thornton with a highlight-reel hit. A few nights later against Florida, Oleksy walloped Mike Santorelli with a big hip check. And against the New York Islanders on Saturday, Oleksy continued his exposition of the most risky hit in hockey, hip-checking Matt Martin to the ice.

Video below.

A few minutes later, the Islanders– looking to make Oleksy pay for the transgression– tried to lay out the 27-year-old with a double-team hit behind the net. It… did not succeed.

I’m liking this Oleksy guy.

Steve Oleksy is quickly becoming a fan favorite here in DC. In his first game with the Caps, the 27-year-old defenseman scored his first NHL point with a secondary assist on a Mike Ribeiro goal. He also had a huge first period hit on Shawn Thornton. On Thursday night against the Panthers, Oleksy showed he can get fancy with his hits too, hip-checking Mike Santorelli hard into the boards.

Video is below the jump.

Boom.

Note: I’m writing this post heavily medicated and a day after right-leg surgery. Yes, I’m hockey-player tough.

While the Washington Capitals got outplayed in the first period of Saturday’s game against the Jets, they came out strong in the second , scoring some goals and getting a little cocky. I love it when my favorite team gets cocky. Particularly because it can lead to a line brawl, one started by five-foot, ten-inch (yeah right) French Canadian Mathieu Perreault.*

After absorbing a legal shoulder-check from tough guy defenseman Zach Bogosian, Perry decided to get a lil’ saucy and slash Bogosian in the legs. Bad idea.

Where is Ovi going? (Jets feed video from welshhockeyfan)

Bogosian puts Perreault in a headlock, and everyone gathers at the red line, fash-washin’ and brawlin’. Two important developments occur.

First: Hendy Face. It’s just a little bit tougher than Oates Face.

Hendy Face

GIFs by welshhockeyfan

Second, Karl Alzner: Tough Guy Edition makes his first appearance since January 13, 2012, when he threw down with Steve Downie.

Watch as Karl forcefully removes the plumpest guy in the league, Dustin Byfuglien, from the scrum with ease.

Enforcer Karl Alzner

GIFs by welshhockeyfan

I love Alzner.

Then, a few minutes later, Alex Ovechkin laughs at Mark Stuart, attempting to check the Russian machine with his hand around his throat.

Ovechkin is soooo very intimidated. Apparently Stuart doesn’t remember about the whole Russian machine not breaking thing.

* This is actually the second line brawl Mathieu Perreault has started. What’s the deal and why does he always play The Rag Doll role?

GIF by welshhockeyfan

Last season with the Winnipeg Jets, Eric Fehr had a disaster season. Still feeling the effects of shoulder surgery, the big six-foot four-inch winger had two goals in 35 games. Winnipeg did not offer him a contract to come back.

His shoulder sure looks healthy now. During the second period of the Capitals match-up Sunday against New York, Fehr drove his shoulder into Anton Stralman’s chest, leveling him to the ice.

Fehr is riding a four-game point streak after assisting on John Carlson’s first period goal. The winger has three goals and three assists during that span.

Good signing, GMGM.