It was entertaining to watch Alex Ovechkin and Steven Stamkos continue to climb the NHL leaderboards on Sunday considering how they've mostly been overlooked this season.
NHL scores 2015: Alex Ovechkin, Steven Stamkos sizzle in huge road wins
Two of the NHL’s brightest stars shone brilliantly on Sunday.
Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Yes, that sentence seems odd. But it’s true. For as consistently brilliant Ovechkin and Stamkos have been this season, they have received little publicity for their greatness.
Ovechkin scored twice as part of a four-point night against the Anaheim Ducks, just his latest display of firepower against a team he's mostly dominated in his career. In one night, he reached 36 goals and passed New York's Rick Nash for the league lead.
Meanwhile, Stamkos was outstanding in Tampa Bay's 5-2 win in San Jose with a goal and assist. Both were purely Stamkosian; the goal was a thunderous slapper from the point while the assist was a needle-threading cross-ice pass to a wide-open Ryan Callahan at the left circle. (Leave it to Stamkos to make me use three hyphenated descriptions for one play. Sorry, editors.)
Perhaps we’re just so used to these theatrics that we’ve started to take it for granted. I hope that isn’t the case, because what Stamkos and Ovechkin continue to do night-in and night-out is nothing short of astounding.
Scores
Chicago Blackhawks 2, Pittsburgh Penguins 1 (SO)
St. Louis Blues 2, Florida Panthers 1 (SO)
Washington Capitals 5, Anaheim Ducks 3
Three things we learned
1. The Panthers continue to be pesky.
If Florida does indeed make the playoffs, it will be because it scratched and clawed (no pun intended) its way in. The fact the Panthers were able to hang tight in a 1-0 game with St. Louis for three periods is one thing. That they did it while also out-chancing the superior Blues is another, and they were well rewarded with a late Nick Bjugstad goal and a loser's point. Florida sits just three points behind Boston for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
2. Philly even managed to look lackluster against the Sabres.
There are some Flyers fans who still hold out hope for the playoffs, but it’s hard to imagine that possibility on nights like Sunday. Philadelphia might have won in Buffalo, but you could argue that they were mostly outplayed by the league-worst Sabres. Not a good sign for a team clinging to the ledge of the playoff cliff.
3. Even Sabres fans have embraced tanking for Connor McDavid.
We've hit that point of the season here in Buffalo. pic.twitter.com/CafEFDbcyC
— Joe Yerdon (@JoeYerdon) February 16, 2015 Impact Moment
Just stop, Patrick Kane. This shootout goal was almost too filthy.
Post to Post
- The Penguins should take their one point and move on.
- Aaron Ekblad continues to impress.
- Finally, former NHL defenseman Steve Montador died on Sunday morning. Rest in peace, Steve.
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