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Opinions Varied On Ovechkin's Antics

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By ERIK ERLENDSSON

eerlendsson@tampatrib.com

Published: March 22, 2009

TAMPA - Alex Ovechkin sure created a stir last week when he celebrated his 50th goal of the season by dropping his stick to the ice and acting as if it was too hot to handle.

While Lightning players understandably were upset by Ovechkin's antics, reaction around the league was mixed. Canadian sports television station TSN asked a handful of players what they thought.

"I loved it actually, I thought it was great," Vancouver defenseman Willie Mitchell said. "I thought it was good for our game."

Former Lightning defenseman Shane O'Brien, also with Vancouver, didn't share Mitchell's statement.

"I wasn't a real big fan of it. If I would have been on the ice I might have gone over and maybe tried to stop him from doing it," O'Brien said. "Maybe I'm a little old school, but if you score 50 you're a great player and everyone knows you're a great player. Everyone knows how good you are. You don't have to go and rub it in someone's face."

A poll on TSN's Web site shows a majority of fans don't have an issue with the celebration. Readers were asked, "Did Alex Ovechkin go too far in celebrating his 50th goal?' And with more than 25,000 votes, 65 percent - as of Sunday - don't believe Ovechkin went too far.

Personally, I wasn't crazy about what Ovechkin did, but I also don't think he intended to show anybody up.

I'm a big fan of the way Ovechkin plays the game. He plays hard on every shift and he plays with pure enjoyment and enthusiasm. While his regular goal celebrations - such as jumping into the glass with exuberance - have drawn the ire of the likes of Sidney Crosby and Don Cherry, I think they are great, as Ovechkin's passion for the game and scoring goals comes shining through.

But coming up with a Terrell Owens-type preplanned celebration, even for a 50th goal, is a bit over the top for my liking. I can understand why the Lightning felt embarrassed.

With two more meetings between the teams - Friday in Washington and April 9 in Tampa - it will be interesting to see if anything carries over.

SHUT IT DOWN?

Goalie Mike Smith wants to play again this season, but really, why push it? It has been more than a month since he reported concussion symptoms to the team's training staff, which was more than a month after he suffered a concussion. In the time since revealing the symptoms, he has shown little improvement and doesn't appear close to getting back on the ice.

Smith said last week that the most physical activity he is able to do right now is about 15 minutes on a stationary bike, which means he still has some progressions to pass before he would receive clearance to return to the ice.

Considering Smith waited more than a month to report his symptoms and with only 10 games left, there is no need for him to try to force his way back into the lineup.

If there is some general optimism looking ahead to next season, then Smith should take his time and make sure he's 100 percent ready for the start of training camp in September.

BAD BREAKS

Have to feel for former Lightning center Brad Richards, who never missed a game because of injury before this season.

The 2004 Conn Smythe winner returned to the lineup Saturday for Dallas after missing 15 games with a fractured left wrist. But during the third period of a loss in San Jose, Richards left the game after suffering a broken bone in his right wrist and will miss the rest of the season.

Reporter Erik Erlendsson can be reached at (813) 259-7853.

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