Quick question: do you prefer Coca-Cola or Pepsi? Some people swear that they can tell the two apart and choose the one that tastes better. I don't really notice a difference between them and as a result, I have no strong feeling toward one brand or the other. To those who share this position, it simply comes down to whichever one is available or what color can is personally more appealing.
This week, I was originally planning to do a different comparison: that of the two young stars in the National Hockey League: Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and Washington's Alexander Ovechkin. Each is in the midst of his third NHL season, and they have already amassed enough accolades between them to fill the Charlottesville Ice Park. The awards that they have earned, however, do not do enough to distinguish them.
Like the Coke and Pepsi debate, deciding who is a better hockey player between those two is essentially a matter of subjective opinion. People who are able to watch a lot of hockey might think they have the information to determine which young forward is more talented, but to most hockey fans, it really comes down to which player is more often available to you on TV or whether the player wears your favorite team's jersey.
What really makes these guys special is their exciting ability to score goals in almost any situation. You need to see them play to understand why they are great, so I am inclined to give the edge to Ovechkin because I see him play more (plus, as a Capitals fan, I admit bias). Additionally, with Crosby injured since Jan. 18, I figured the better story at the moment is Ovechkin's background and his impact on the surging Washington club this season.
After the first 21 games of the season, it already appeared likely that the Washington Capitals would be sitting at home during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Since then, however, the team has scratched its way into the postseason picture. After a 6-14-1 start, the Capitals fired head coach Glen Hanlon and replaced him with longtime minor league skipper, Bruce Boudreau. The new coach implemented a more aggressive style of play that has rallied the Caps to a 27-25-5 record and within one point of first place in the mediocre Southeast Division.
Though the coaching shakeup definitely lit a proverbial fire under the team, much of the Capitals' success since that Thanksgiving change can be attributed to the team's best player: Alexander Ovechkin.
The 22-year-old Russian phenom is a hockey player to the bone. Many may remember the amazing play in his rookie year that has since been dubbed "The Goal" (which should definitely be YouTubed the next chance you get: search "Ovechkin's incredible goal"). He proudly sports a gaping hole in his smile from losing one of his front teeth earlier in the season, which shows that even though he is primarily a goal-scorer, he doles out and takes a fair share of hits and even gets in the occasional fight. When asked about his propensity for physical play despite his role on the team, Ovechkin routinely says things like "that's hockey" or "I just do what I can to help the team win out there."
And it's true. With such a young team thought to be in rebuilding mode, he really has helped the Caps win both by scoring goals and making others around him better. Take, for example, center Nicklas Backstrom. The 20-year-old Swede is a Rookie of the Year frontrunner in large part because of the help and influence of Ovechkin, who puts away many of Backstrom's passes (he leads rookies with 36 assists) and can also relate to being so young in the NHL.
Despite the constant eye of NHL defenses, Ovechkin, who currently leads the league in goals and scoring, has been spectacular this season. I watched him have a would-be career game against Montreal the last day of January, recording a hat trick (three goals in one game) and an assist in regulation before scoring the game-winner in overtime. I say would-be because he actually already accomplished the four-goal, one-assist feat earlier this year against Ottawa (right down to the game-winning goal). His stats from the last 10 games (11 goals, six assists, three game-winners) make him look like Adam Banks from the Mighty Ducks movies.
Though I never gave up on professional hockey like so many former fans did after the strike canceled an entire season three years ago, I cannot admit to following the sport as closely as I would have liked since then. This year, however, with Washington turning it around and Ovechkin playing like a man possessed, it's been easy to pencil Caps games into my busy schedule of college basketball and schoolwork. The Capitals' current three-game divisional road trip -- that could make or break their playoff surge -- only accentuates my daily interest in the league.
Such is the impact that guys like Crosby and Ovechkin are making in the eyes of casual hockey fans and hopefully all sports fans in the future. With Crosby out, Ovechkin has taken over the spotlight and dazzled hockey fans with his inspired play. We'll just have to see whether he can maintain it when the other young star comes back and NHL fans are once again asked to decide between the Coke and Pepsi of the league.
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