Yes, I know. We are all excited Ovie finally scored a goal. Let's not be so quick to say the slump is over, though.Remember this: On opening night against Atlanta, Caps fans were wondering why Ovechkin couldn't bury the puck in the net on shots that usually light the lamp. The next night he puts down 2 goals against the Blackhawks and an aging Nikolai Khabibulin. While exiting the Verizon Center, I turned to my father and said, "I'm glad we have Ovie back." Oh man....
Ten games and more than a few frustrated groans later, Ovechkin puts one in off a nice feed from Semin and suddenly the slump is over?
Don't get me wrong. I'm as happy as the next red-clad fan to see the Great Eight scoring, but I don't think one goal against Olie Kolzig will single-handedly end the slump.
Wednesday night's game against Carolina will be a true test to see if the slump is shed. Ovechkin will face a goalie who is not only younger, but has a considerably better team around him.
The drought is over, the slump is in the process of shedding.
Couldn't agree more, CK. Fans and bloggers and sportswriters put way too much emphasis on a single game. And we draw conclusions that fight logic. Like this one: Ovie is going to Russia to visit his grandfather? Great, when he gets back he'll start scoring goals. Riiiiight . . . 12 hours each way on a plane, awake by night and asleep by day -- that's the secret for playing better! The last European trip I took, it was a week before I was back to normal. I was amazed to see him out on the ice, giving 100%, the day after he got off the plane.
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