“What a total disgrace to the sport. I saw the final score and immediately went to the box score and knew there was an empty netter and I was right. What a POS.” A fan made this comment when Alexander Ovechkin once scored an open-net goal, bringing him closer to the all-time NHL goal record in the current season. What is the reason for the criticism?
To frame it simply, it’s all about the principles of hockey! Supporters are passionate, and they are opposed to witnessing Wayne Gretzky’s legendary goal record being surpassed by a goal scored into an empty net. What is the total number of open net goals Ovi has scored in his impressive NHL career?
The answer to that question would have been zero when examining his opening season. As per Statmuse, in the 2005-06 season, Alexander Ovechkin recorded no empty-net goals during his rookie year. That is truly remarkable! Subsequently, there were several seasons during which he recorded no open net goals. And when did it happen exactly? The seasons of 2011-12, 2016-17, and 2020-21. In total, throughout his NHL career, Ovi has recorded 65 goals into an empty net. Did you know that he holds the record in this category of goals?
When questioned about the subject on many occasions, the Capitals captain has often dismissed it with his usual casual demeanor. “Every game, every goal is hard to score in this league. If you want to try, take your skates and go six-on-five,” Ovechkin remarked regarding these kinds of goals. Is he strategizing to net an open goal, considering he requires just one more to surpass the all-time scoring record? Not quite.
The captain of the Caps received a boost during their recent matchup with the Chicago Blackhawks, as they aimed to net an open goal in the closing minutes of the contest. He outright denied it, according to teammate Dylan Strome, who mentioned, “I asked him about 15 times. I didn’t want to be the guy to shoot it in the empty net if he wanted the empty netter…you don’t want to be the guy to shoot it into the empty net if he’s looking for it to pass, but he made it pretty clear that he didn’t want to get it on an empty netter, and you’ve got to respect his wishes.”
It’s all about leaving an impression in the realm of hockey. Ovechkin is determined that his 895th career goal won’t come from an empty net. However, it is noteworthy that the Great One reacted to this specific comment made by the Russian hockey star in a rather contradictory manner.
Wayne Gretzky went candid on Alexander Ovechkin avoiding empty netters
“I felt really bad for the youngster who had the breakaway in the empty net. I kept thinking, okay, do you go around the net? I tell I don’t want to empty net. Yeah. Okay. I’ll take every empty net goal I could get. And I know you would too,” said Wayne Gretzky during a press conference. The Great One recognized the scrutiny directed at Alex Ovechkin regarding his open net goals, yet as a hockey icon, Gretzky remained unfazed by such scoring methods.
Throughout his illustrious 20-year career, Gretzky netted a remarkable 56 goals when the opposing net was unguarded. The Great One openly admitted that he would have taken advantage of every chance, no matter if it was an empty net, if he were competing in the NHL today. To put it plainly, even if they are open netters, they wouldn’t hold much significance for the hockey legend, as ultimately, it will just contribute to the statistics.
Nevertheless, critics contend that the increasing frequency of empty-net chances skews the statistics of contemporary goal scorers. The NHL during the 1980s and 1990s exhibited a more conservative approach to pulling the goalie, resulting in fewer opportunities for players like Gretzky to enhance their statistics in the closing moments of games. Only time will reveal Ovechkin’s performance in the upcoming match against the New York Islanders.
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