Alex Ovechkin had eight shots on goal in the Washington Capitals’ Game 1 loss to the New York Islanders on Wednesday, but no goals and no points to speak of.
And now the Capitals are in the trail position early in that best-of-seven series.
There isn’t much during his NHL career that Ovechkin hasn’t achieved. He’s a star. He’s scored 50 or more goals in a season on six occasions and can be one of the most electrifying and polarizing players in the game.
He also hasn’t won a Stanley Cup in Washington, and helping to take the Capitals to the next level was the subject of a PHT Pressing Questions piece prior to the start of these playoffs.
But Ovechkin has plenty of supporters in his corner and that includes Hall of Fame basketball player and then TV analyst Charles Barkley.
“I really didn’t do anything but watch hockey last night,” Barkley told ESPN’s ‘Mike and Mike’ show, as per CSN Washington.
“I love the hockey playoffs. I watched hockey last night so I had to get up early this morning and go and see everything that happened.
“I watched the [Capitals-Islanders game] first.
“I’m pulling for Ovechkin so he can get off the list that I’m on, ‘never won anything.’ So I root for Ovechkin.”