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Alex Ovechkin is feeling the need for speed

Washington Capitals v New York Rangers - Game One

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals breaks his stick in the first period of Game One of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the New York Rangers during the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 28, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

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While we’ve seen Alex Ovechkin play the role of battering ram through the playoffs as well as the occasional sniper, there’s another part to his game that he wants to see put to use.

CSNWashington.com’s Chuck Gormley hears it from Ovechkin that his speed is something the team should use to their advantage to try and deal with the Rangers’ staunch defense.

“If I want to have [scoring] opportunities they have to give me the puck at full speed in the neutral zone because in the [offensive] zone it’s harder because they have [Dan] Girardi and another guy [Ryan McDonagh] on me.”

Girardi and McDonagh have been making opposing skilled players miserable all season long and when you throw Marc Staal into the mix as well, there’s just not a lot of room for guys like Ovechkin or Alexander Semin to move around on the ice. Ovechkin says he has to find ways to get the puck and get into shooting lanes, other things the Rangers are great at eliminating.

We haven’t seen the dominating Ovechkin much in the playoffs but if he can get free and do the things he says will work, betting against him succeeding would be a bad idea.