The Puck does not drop until tonight at 7pm for game 3 of the Playoff series between your New York Rangers and the Washington Capitals - but the fireworks are already underway.This morning the Rangers morning skate had an unexpected observer. Alex Ovechkin (the Human Puck Vortex) decided to sit on the Capitals Bench and watch the Rangers practice intently and from close range. (See him in the lower left of the photo?)
The NHL is not the NFL (where practices are routinely closed to the media and always closed to members of the opposing team) but it is still unusual for an opposing player to essentially sit in on the other team's practice session - to watch the drills and hear the coaching.
According to a blog associated with a DC newspaper you may have heard of (The Washington Post) an unnamed Rangers Trainer (let's call him "deep puck") approached Ovechkin and asked him to leave. The Capital's leading goal scorer promptly got up and left the rink.
I wish this was all a joke - but it's not.
When the Washington Post blogger asked John Tortorella about the incident, the Ranger's coach responded in his usual articulate good humor:
"This is the first I've heard of it. Ask me a question about the game, not that [bleep]."
Game on, folks. The tension level is high and rising for game three. Be sure to check back tonight for the in-game analysis you just can't get anywhere else.
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That's the sort of indepth analysis and information that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
ReplyDeleteI didn't mean to imply that this was in depth, or analysis. I didn't say to check back for *more* analysis. I meant - this is the silly stuff - and check back later for the actual analysis.
ReplyDeleteStill - it's interesting that it happened.
And why does Ovechkin have a stick with him? To help look inconspicuous? Was he hoping to slip on to the ice unnoticed to get some real coaching for a change? Was he going to say he forgot the right time for his own teams skate?