WHETHER OR NOT ALEX OVECHKIN is the NHL's most valuable player continues to be the subject of some debate, but there can be little argument that he's the league's most dramatic. The human-highlight-film-on-ice who brought you a goal scored while sliding on his back and a four-goals-with-a-broken-nose masterpiece did it again Monday, scoring a first-period hat trick that included his 50th of the season and catapulted the Capitals back into the playoff picture.

Ovechkin's second career five-point game (he added two assists) helped pace the Caps to a 10-2 thrashing of Boston and marked yet another jaw-dropping milestone in Ovechkin's young career. The performance erased the memory of last month's seven-game goalless streak, vaulted him back into the NHL's points lead, tied his career high of 52 goals and made him just the second player in history to record No. 50 and a hat trick in the same contest. The other: Wayne Gretzky.

"When you go on a scoring slump and you're that good, you're going to start scoring again," coach Bruce Boudreau said. "You just can't hold him back."

Ovechkin was excited, but not too excited, about his achievement. He said he would "go home and eat something" to celebrate — he was hoping to partake in the free chicken wings offered to fans when the Caps score six or more — and admitted, "It's a good feeling when you score 50 goals."

He finished with 52 in 2005-06 and 46 last season. He becomes just the third Capital ever, and the fourth NHL player this decade, to breach 50 twice.

"It's all about your mind. I just tell myself, don't think about goals, play how I can and just do what you can," he said of breaking out of his funk. "This happens. I didn't score lots of goals and today everything goes to the net."

Ovechkin bristled when asked about his MVP prospects.

"I don't think about trophies right now," he said.

"We just have to make one more step closer to Carolina."

The Caps (31-28-8) are three points behind the Hurricanes with 15 games left, including Wednesday night's tilt in Buffalo.

Written by Express contributor Brian Straus
Photo by Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post

Posted by Express at 12:00 AM on March 5, 2008
Tagged in Capitals , Sports , Top Stories