Alexander Ovechkin played a career low 12:38 against the Hurricanes in the Capitals season opener in Raleigh last night, but that number is misleading.
Alex Ovechkin logged a career-low 12:38 of ice time in the Washington Capitals' 5-2 season-opening win against the Carolina Hurricanes. Head coach Spencer Carbery limited the 41-year-old captain's usage as Ovechkin opened his 22nd NHL season, having also sat out the preseason. Despite his limited action, Ovechkin notched an assist on a Ryan Leonard goal alongside Dylan Strome.
Writer John Murray argues that the reduced ice time was primarily due to game flow rather than aging. Washington received only two power plays while having to kill off six penalties. Because Ovechkin and his linemates do not kill penalties, the repeated special-teams situations kept the scoring line on the bench for long stretches.
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