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Ovechkin suspended for 2 games
Source: Agencies |
December 3, 2009, Thursday
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ALEX Ovechkin's latest on-ice indiscretion netted him a two-game suspension, a sore right knee and a new level of concern from his coach about his "pretty reckless" ways.
The league's reigning two-time MVP was suspended for two games without pay by the NHL on Tuesday for a knee-to-knee hit on defenseman Tim Gleason in Monday night's 3-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes.
Ovechkin's first NHL suspension will cost him US$98,844.16 in salary. The hit on Gleason was scary, but the Russian forward was back on the ice on Tuesday morning.
Ovechkin was given a 5-minute major penalty for kneeing and a game misconduct for the hit on Gleason, the second time in three games he's been ejected. Last week he was whistled for a 5-minute boarding major and game misconduct for a hit on Patrick Kaleta of the Sabres.
Ovechkin was more defiant when asked about his style of play. No one scores goals better, but he also loves to hit. He leads the Capitals with 18 goals, 30 points - and 44 penalty minutes.
"I just play my game and I just enjoy my time and I enjoy my life," Ovechkin said.
"It's me, and it is what it is. I play risky," he said. "I won't try and hit and make some people get hurt, but people sometimes turn right away and I don't have time to realize and stop. What can you do? You can do nothing."
Coach Bruce Boudreau isn't so sure anymore. After two years of essentially letting Ovechkin be Ovechkin, Boudreau said it might be time for a heart-to-heart talk.
"He's pretty reckless," he said. "It's hard telling a guy that scores 60 goals a year to change the way he plays. At the same time, I don't want to see him getting hurt. Maybe he has to pick his spots a little better. The open-ice hits, you just look around the league. It's not only the hitter, it's the guy that gets hit. ... It's something that will have to be addressed by us."
The league's reigning two-time MVP was suspended for two games without pay by the NHL on Tuesday for a knee-to-knee hit on defenseman Tim Gleason in Monday night's 3-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes.
Ovechkin's first NHL suspension will cost him US$98,844.16 in salary. The hit on Gleason was scary, but the Russian forward was back on the ice on Tuesday morning.
Ovechkin was given a 5-minute major penalty for kneeing and a game misconduct for the hit on Gleason, the second time in three games he's been ejected. Last week he was whistled for a 5-minute boarding major and game misconduct for a hit on Patrick Kaleta of the Sabres.
Ovechkin was more defiant when asked about his style of play. No one scores goals better, but he also loves to hit. He leads the Capitals with 18 goals, 30 points - and 44 penalty minutes.
"I just play my game and I just enjoy my time and I enjoy my life," Ovechkin said.
"It's me, and it is what it is. I play risky," he said. "I won't try and hit and make some people get hurt, but people sometimes turn right away and I don't have time to realize and stop. What can you do? You can do nothing."
Coach Bruce Boudreau isn't so sure anymore. After two years of essentially letting Ovechkin be Ovechkin, Boudreau said it might be time for a heart-to-heart talk.
"He's pretty reckless," he said. "It's hard telling a guy that scores 60 goals a year to change the way he plays. At the same time, I don't want to see him getting hurt. Maybe he has to pick his spots a little better. The open-ice hits, you just look around the league. It's not only the hitter, it's the guy that gets hit. ... It's something that will have to be addressed by us."
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