This story about Alex Ovechkin cursing at coach Bruce Boudreau for leaving him off the ice with a minute left and the Washington Capitals down a goal to the Anaheim Ducks is both a story and a non-story. It's a story because Ovechkin is never left off the ice in these situations. It's a non-story because the Capitals won and things happen in the heat of the moment.
Here's the video evidence, which does show Ovechkin seemingly cursing under his breath.
Looks a lot like something that rhymes with "That Duck." Nevertheless, the ploy worked, and Nicklas Backstrom tied the game on that shift. After the game, Ovechkin and Boudreau said all the right things, though it was weird that Ovechkin was only made available to Versus and not the rest of the media.
That's really all there is to this. To sum it up, here are a bunch of people saying the same thing.
Nate Ewell (former Capitals' director of communications):
Bruce made a good move, Ovi said all the right things, the team won, he played in OT. This is a controversy? ... You had a line that was great all night, but could use a center for draws - so Nick is the extra guy. It makes perfect sense.
How dare an intense competitor be disappointed about not being on the ice at crunch time and mutter something to no one about it? The nerve.
Brooks Laich, via D.C. Sports Bog.
Brooks Laich to Junkies on Ovi benching coverage: "Whatever. They need something to talk about in the morning."
Agree. Agree. Agree. It's a story, but it's also a non-story.