Ovechkin's productive series, Panarin's goal and Kuznetsov's pass: how Russian hockey players spent a game day in the NHL

Goal Ovechkin after a provocation

Last Sunday, the Washington Capitals came to visit one of the main disappointments of the start of the new NHL season. “Chicago Blackhawks” managed to win only two victories in the first five matches, despite the fact that the team had to leave their hometown only once. But the situation for the team from Illinois began to gradually improve, and the capital's club had to try hard to win the third match in a row.

“Chicago” hit the gate of the guests from the first minutes - the goalkeeper of “Washington” Bradon Holtby had to reflect 14 shots in the starting period. The Canadian man coped with such a task, allowing the field players to gain time. The guests waited in the tenth minute of the first majority draw and opened an account after eight seconds. The hero of the episode was Yevgeny Kuznetsov - he took the puck from Duncan Keith outside the goal and sent him to the spot where TJ Oshi was waiting for her.

Another game, another Oshie goal # ALLCAPSpic.twitter.com / R139Vj8mob

Such a disappointing outcome of the first period clearly upset Blackhawks defender Connor Murphy. When there were only seconds left before the siren, he went into battle against Alexander Ovechkin, although both were almost on the blue line and there was no need for power reception. Radko Gudas, who graduated from the tough guy school at the Philadelphia Flyers, immediately stood up for the Russian hockey player. In Chicago, they received a signal that nobody could just touch the captain of Washington.

just don't hit Gudas' teammates ... okay? pic.twitter.com/mapQ0FD2Ep

The hosts continued to bend their line, and in the next two periods they delivered 15 shots each. However, this did not help them turn the tide in their favor. In the middle of the match, Holtby still missed the first goal, but immediately the “Washington” regained the lead when Nick Daud and Karl Hagelin fled to the counterattack in the minority.

In the third 20-minute Ovechkin has already truly entered the game. In the corporate style, with one touch from the left circle of the face-off he scored the sixth goal for the season and scored the tenth point for performance. His scorer series has been going on for seven consecutive matches - the last time Ovechkin left the ice without points on October 5th. The goal against Chicago became the 664th striker for his career, and very soon he will be able to become one of the 12 best snipers in the history of the NHL. Ovechkin left to throw only four goals to catch up with Canadian Luke Robital.

OVI 👏 FROM 👏 HIS 👏OFFICE #Caps 3 - Blackhawks 1 # ALLCAPS # CapsHawkspic.twitter.com / vt4szrsxLW

The transfer was given to Ovechkin by quarterback John Carlson, for whom the new season in the NHL is just magical. He has already scored 18 points in ten matches and leads the scorer race, ahead of many star forwards. Largely thanks to him, “Washington” never missed in the minority, although it experienced a shortage of players on the ice quite often.

When Carlson was not on the site, “Chicago” still managed to pass the defense of “Washington” and even equalize by the 50th minute. But the victory nevertheless went to the guests, who gave much more strength for its sake. Tom Wilson scored the winning goal, and the point put Lars Eller, who scored in an empty net with the filing of Dmitry Orlov. The Capitals won the third match in a row and single-handedly led the Capital Division.

The fourth defeat of Panarin

In second place among Russian NHL snipers this season is Artemy Panarin. On Sunday, he scored his fourth goal for the New York Rangers. True, its effectiveness again did not help to avoid defeat, the fourth in a row for the team. Another offender "Rangers" was the "Vancouver Canucks."

By the end of the second period, the Canadian club had broken its season goal shots, having bothered Henrik Lundqvist more than 35 times. Such an onslaught could not help providing a good start for Vancouver, especially since the Rangers were removed twice in the first period, and just at that moment Bo Horvat and Brock Bözer sent the puck into the goal. At the 17th minute, the Canucks were already 3-0, distinguishing themselves at the same time in the minority.

The New Yorkers managed to return to the game in the second half of the match and create problems for the guests. Jesper Fast played one goal, and Panarin distinguished himself in the third period. He waited a long time for the struggle to end outside the Vancouver gates, and as soon as the puck bounced back at him on the heel, as the Russian immediately sent her to the target.

🎯 pic.twitter.com/SkywJMv5sZ

For the whole match Panarin made five shots and was the most creative player in his team, but so far the partners have not reached his level, which would allow him to look more confident in the attack. The Rangers did not realize the mass of opportunities to catch up with the Canucks. Panarin's team has not won since October 5 and with four points is the last in his division. Only the Minnesota Wild and the Ottawa Senators are worse off in the entire league.