All-Star weekend is underway, and the Washington Capitals have featured heavily early in the 2011 All-Star Skills Competition. Early in the event, Mike Green competed valiantly in the Fastest Skater challenge, but Michael Grabner of the New York Islanders captured the title.
The pressure was on Alex Ovechkin as he attempted to repeat as champion in the Breakaway Challenge, an event that he's one every year its been held. The defending champion went wide to the right, cut inside at the red line, flipped the puck up into the air, but failed to beat Marc-Andre Fleury. On his second attempt, Ovechkin juggled the puck on his stick, a move that he'd attempted three years ago to win the challenge in 2008. This time, Ovechkin made contact with the puck on the shaft of his stick, but it was an easy save for Fleury. With his third attempt, while Fleury was doing jumping jacks to try to distract his opponent, Ovechkin kicked the puck backwards between his legs, but his shot went straight at the goaltender.
As could have been expected, Ovechkin saved his best for last. controlled the puck down the ice using the butt of his stick, and as Fleury went down to the ice either to attempt a save or to take a nap, Ovechkin flipped his stick and beat the goaltender, becoming one of the few skaters to score a goal during the competition.
In what may have been considered an upset, Ovechkin was named champion by fan vote for the third consecutive time, with PK Subban finishin in second. In an interview after the event, when asked to describe what he was attempting, Ovechkin would say "I'm so excited right now, I forgot what I did."
He may have forgot, but we won't. Congratulations to the three-time champion. Not quite an Ovechtrick, but it will do for now.