Alex Ovechkin has been front and center a few times in the past few days.
He’s been accused of diving, continues to score goals, including another pretty one Tuesday, and, in the same game, he sent Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang sliding hard into the end boards after a slash to the back of the leg early in the third period.
There was no call on the play.
What ensued next was the Penguins trying to get revenge on Ovechkin, though the star wouldn’t bite. He smiled, though.
The Capitals took advantage of the Penguins’ lack of discipline in the final 20 minutes, scoring on a late power-play to win the game 3-1.
Washington’s head coach Barry Trotz defended Ovechkin after the game.
Their stories remain the same: Ovechkin’s intent was to hit the puck, which Letang was working to maintain control of with the Capitals captain on the forecheck.
“If you look at it, Ovi’s just trying to whack at the puck there,” said Trotz, as per CSN Washington.
“I looked at it on TV. From behind you can’t even see the puck, but from the front view you can see the puck is right by [Letang’s] skate and he actually moves his skate in front of the puck and Ovi sort of tries to throw it at the net.
“Letang slid a little bit, he tried to get his balance and went into the boards. I think you’re making a lot out of nothing. The ice is really slippery in the beginning of a period. Ovi doesn’t do that. It’s not in his game.”