ARLINGTON, VA — Alex Ovechkin celebrated his record-breaking 895th NHL goal at practice with schoolchildren and Washington Capitals fans, even reenacting his celebratory belly-flop.
However, the team`s focus is now firmly back on work and preparing for the playoffs.
The Capitals returned to practice on Wednesday, just days after Ovechkin broke Wayne Gretzky`s record. For the past month, while Ovechkin chased the record, the team`s performance dipped. Now, with the playoffs approaching, this needs to change.
Coach Spencer Carbery acknowledged the distraction, saying, “It’s impossible to block the record… out.” He emphasized the challenge of refocusing after the excitement, stating the team must “completely reset mentally and focus on the task at hand of playing well as a team and making sure that we’re putting ourselves in the best position possible to play well in the playoffs.”
Tristan Blackwood