Alex the Great

Hello everyone, as always I hope all is well with all those in the yard!!! Well it is that time of the year again as we gear up for another exciting NHL hockey playoff run. This year has had many great stories, and many more are sure to come as we get deeper and deeper into May. In my opinion, there is no harder feat in pro sports than going all the way in the Stanley Cup Playoffs!! I look for a SOLID, LONG run by my very own HABS, Guy has them playing hard!!!

With all that being said, I wanted to dedicate this blog to the most dominating player in the NHL. I really enjoy watching him play, and felt I had to blog about him. The ONLY reason Washington is in the playoffs is because of the play of Alex Ovechkin. Everyone knows that, and even a non hockey fan has to sense the way the NHL has begin to hype their game around him. There are many reasons I believe he is the best player in hockey and there are even more reasons why I love watching him play. I just finished watching the Capitals play their first game against the Flyers and had to blog about why I love watching this guy play. Here are my five top Alex The Great Facts!!!

1.He is a GAMER!! Simple as that. He has proved this year to be his team's best player when they need him the most. Like I said earlier, he carried his team into the playoffs, and they will go deep depending greatly on him. The great players play best when they are needed the most, he fits that mold.

2.He exudes TEAM!! You can see it in the way he plays, he plays to win. Scoring titles and personal accolades will come to him, and for a young player he understands that. It is very rare to find a kid with that much talent that understands that the team comes first. Next time you get a chance to see Capital's highlights, watch how he celebrates after his teammates score……you can't tell the difference from when he scores to when anyone else scores. I love that.

3.HE LOVES THE GAME. Carrying on from my last point, watch this kid celebrate a goal. By far the best, and most exciting celebration that there is in the NHL. It would appear that the business of the NHL doesn't cloud his boyhood love for the game of hockey. It is rare to see that out of anyone for an entire 82 game schedule. I can't wait to see him celebrate in the playoffs.

4.He has a great MENTALITY. I like players that enjoy challenges. Playing in Washington up to this year has been just that, a challenge. The franchise has seen many good players come and go over the years, none of which have been able to take them to the next level. Ovechkin did jus that. Instead of whining about how poor the team was, he came in with a great, hard working attitude, committed to the team long term all the while leading them into the playoffs. Many players would whine about their situation, instead he took it on full on and succeeded in turning them into winners.

5.He is a great ROLE MODEL. For all the reasons I have stated above, I believe young aspiring hockey players can learn a lot from him. He works hard, believes in the team first, he is talented and he loves the game. These are characteristics I try to instill in kids that I come across in the lacrosse world. He embodies what being a professional is all about.

Cheers to Ovechkin for being such a great player, leader and role model, but be sure of this: If they meet the Habs along the way, his first playoff will be cut short!!!

Enjoy the playoffs, I'll be back tomorrow to get you up to date in the lacrosse world…in the meantime enjoy the NHL playoffs!!!

Cheers,

Colin #7