One man’s misfortune is another man’s opportunity. Any NHL veteran knows that.
Alex Ovechkin is hoping not to let a great chance go to waste as his Washington Capitals get set to take on the Connor McDavid-less Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night.
“It’s a game, you know it’s a passion obviously. I don’t think he [meant]to do that,” the Capitals captain said. “But sucks for him, good for us. He’s not playing tonight, we’ll take it.”
McDavid was handed a three-game suspension by the league for a cross-check to the head of Canucks forward Conor Garland and will miss the clash against the NHL-leading Capitals.
McDavid was handed the suspension on Monday and Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman confirmed Tuesday that the Oilers captain will opt to not appeal the suspension.
His Oilers teammates were none-too-pleased about the league’s decision to keep him out of the lineup until Jan. 27 against the Seattle Kraken, with defenceman Matthias Ekholm going so far as to call it “mind-blowing.”
That’s no skin off Ovechkin’s back, however, as the Capitals will look to build on their league-leading 31-10-5 record and the Russian forward will hope to add another goal to his ever-encroaching record-breaking tally. Any help he can get from the opposition is fine in his eyes as he tries to chase down Oilers legend Wayne Gretzky.
Catch the action as the Oilers host the Capitals on Sportsnet West or stream on Sportsnet+ at 9 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. MT.
