Ovechkin’s Unstoppable Shot: A Deep Dive into the Capitals’ Secret Weapon
When you think of the Washington Capitals, one name inevitably comes to mind: Alex Ovechkin. The Capitals’ coach, Spencer Carbery, can’t help but smile when he talks about the “few faceoff plays” they run for Ovechkin. These plays, known as “Shooter Back” from the right circle and “Board Side O” from the left, have become legendary in the NHL. They’ve been so successful that every team has tried to replicate them, though none have Ovechkin to finish the job.
Ovechkin’s legacy is all about scoring goals, and as he closes in on Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894, these plays are crucial. The left faceoff circle has even earned the nickname “Ovi’s Office” because of his prowess there. Since 2007-08, Ovechkin has scored 210 goals from the faceoff circle, according to MoneyPuck data. His ability to shoot whether the puck is flat or wobbly, combined with the Capitals’ knack for surrounding him with the right teammates, has kept him a scoring threat even as he ages.
Ovechkin scored his first NHL goal on Oct. 5, 2005, before leading rookie of the year contender Macklin Celebrini was even born. Celebrini’s birthday is June 13, 2006. Ovechkin’s ability to score from anywhere on the ice, especially the faceoff circle, is a testament to his skill and the Capitals’ strategy. “The reality is all you’re trying to do is get the puck in his hands, on his stick, and let him get a clean shot off anywhere inside the top of the circles,” Carbery said.
Multiple coaches and players across the NHL agree that Ovechkin’s pursuit of Gretzky’s record is a testament to consistency, not just for Ovechkin but for the Capitals as well. They’ve consistently put their franchise’s greatest player in a position to succeed. An NHL assistant coach noted that Ovechkin’s success in the faceoff circle is partly due to having a left-handed centerman, like Dylan Strome, Evgeny Kuznetsov, or Nicklas Backstrom, who can pull the puck onto Ovechkin’s forehand.
Despite nearly two decades in the league, no one has found a way to consistently stop Ovechkin from scoring from the faceoff circle. Even though everyone knows where he’s going to set up, the decisions and moving parts involved often lead to Ovechkin and the Capitals finding an advantage. Radko Gudas, a former teammate, said, “He’s probably going to be the best goal scorer in history, which makes it the hardest job to defend him.”
So, what makes “Board Side O” so hard to stop? An assistant coach explains it with video clips. It starts with Strome, a left-handed center, winning the faceoff. Ovechkin is already within 5 inches of the puck, creating separation and firing a shot even if the puck is wobbling. “Ninety-nine percent of the league, the moment this puck is fumbled, it’s not a shot on goal, it’s not a scoring chance,” the assistant said. “He finds a way to get pucks through no matter what.”
On the other side of the ice, “Shooter Back” is equally successful. With the faceoff on the right side, Ovechkin is on the inside part of the ice, ready to fire a shot with another rolling, wobbly puck that beats the goalie. Steven Stamkos, tied for 22nd all-time with 577 goals, said that scoring from the faceoff circle requires numerous moving parts to fall into place.
- The shooter needs playmakers who can distribute the puck.
- Finding space to get to the faceoff circle is crucial.
- East-to-west passes lead to shots that are hard for the goalie to stop.
Stamkos added that the speed of the pass often dictates where the shooter aims, but the goal is to fire the puck so quickly that the goalie doesn’t have time to react. “The faceoff dot, per se, between the hashmark is kind of like the quiet area in the defensive zone,” Stamkos said. “For him and I, it’s a spot where we’ve had a lot of success and you just keep going back to what works.”
Ovechkin’s shot has been compared to a baseball player’s ability to hit pitches on the edge of the strike zone. He can take imperfect passes and not only get pucks on the net but also get them through defenders and put them in a difficult place for a goalie to save.
Ovechkin’s production from the faceoff circle has stirred debate on what qualifies as a high-danger scoring chance. If it’s Ovechkin in the faceoff circle, that’s about as dangerous as it gets. Roman Josi of the Nashville Predators said, “The thing with him is he doesn’t need much space. You just need to be one second late and he’s going to score.”
Barry Trotz, who coached Ovechkin for four seasons, said the Caps’ power play is designed to create two choices for opponents: focus on Ovechkin and leave everyone else open, or concentrate on the other four skaters with the hopes none of them can get the puck to Ovechkin. Each choice provides a problem, as those playmaking centers can find someone else or score themselves.
Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy said Ovechkin’s shot is both powerful and the hardest to track in the NHL, comparing it to a knuckleball that somehow moves at a high rate of speed. “Even when it’s flat, it’s hard to stop,” Vasilevskiy said. “But when it’s a knuckleball, it’s nearly impossible.”
Injuries to Backstrom and Oshie, along with Kuznetsov being traded, meant the Capitals were in transition. They still reached the playoffs in 2023-24 as a wild-card entry, ranking 18th on the power play (20.6%) and 28th in goals per game (2.63). This season, the Capitals are atop the Eastern Conference standings, leading the NHL with 3.58 goals per game while their power play is ninth, with a 23.7% success rate.
Strome said in his first couple of games, he always looked for Ovechkin no matter where they were on the ice. But he learned that he now has the freedom to carry the puck into the offensive zone and find Ovechkin in different spaces. “Whenever you are playing with someone who has those guys’ skill level, your senses are heightened and you want to get them the puck whenever you can,” Strome said.
Wilson, who has been with the Capitals for 12 seasons, said playing with Ovechkin is all about understanding space. He said his role was to create space for Ovechkin or find him in those spaces by constantly forechecking to win possession. “He also creates a lot of room,” Wilson said. “Everyone assumes when he gets the puck, that he’s going to shoot. I’ve had a ton of goals in my career where he finds me.”
Carlson and Wilson have seen Ovechkin score hundreds of times, but they both said this season has been so much fun to watch. They talked about how every arena they go to is filled with people who want to see Ovechkin get closer to a record. The desire to be on the ice for the record-breaking goal has led to some lobbying by players, which makes Carbery smile.
“Oh, of course!” Carlson said when asked if he wants to have a hand in Ovechkin’s historic goal. “I think everybody does. I think that’s on everyone’s mind.”
Wilson said: “Everyone wants to be a part of history and everyone will be a part of history. It doesn’t matter who’s on or who passes it. I just think being able to tell your kids about that one day and being a part of it is going to be something I’ll never forget.”
Originally Written by: Ryan S. Clark
