Goal Celebration? Cool It

Alexander Ovechkin is one of the most dominant players in the league currently. He is a monster on the ice, and he knows just how good he is- he's recently taken to leaping up against the glass whenever he scores a goal. That's all well and good, but the line has recently been drawn in my eyes after his 50th goal of the year against Tampa Bay- he set his stick down on the ice and waved his hands up and down above it, as if to say, "It's too hot to handle."

Overboard? You betcha.

Ovie's the kind of guy who's got a dynamic personality to go along with his talent. He's passionate, outgoing, and very much a rock star. But when does it go too far? When celebrations like this become part of his repertoire. Honestly, if I wanted to see this, I'd go check out an NFL game, or the NBA. Chad Johnson and Randy Moss would love this kid's ideas. In all seriousness, though, I didn't become a hockey fan for this. I became one, in fact, partly because I felt the guys who played the game were amazing, yet somewhat still humble in spite of their talents when they scored. They were happy, but never rubbed it in.

Not only that, but Ovechkin hasn't even scored 60 or 70 yet this year. It was 50, a milestone he's reached twice before, and against a team who's pretty much out of it in the Lightning. Bolts head coach Rick Tocchet had a right to be annoyed by Ovie's antics, and I'm surprised no one tried to take him out after that. You're talented, we all know it. Leave the childish antics at home and just play hockey. When you score the game-winner in the playoffs, it'll be a different story, perhaps, but for now jumping the glass is enough.

Here's the celebration:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wa9vIQzzg38

And reactions by two writers:

Save it for home, Alex

Memo to Alex Ovechkin. Your little skit in Tampa Bay on Thursday after
your 50th goal was a laugh riot -- feigning that your stick was too hot to
handle as it lay on the ice -- but you should have saved that for the home folk
in Washington. It's like parking a new Porsche in front of the neighbour's
house, next to his Chevy Cavalier. It's called rubbing it in. Little different
when Teemu Selanne broke Mike Bossy's rookie goal record in '93, and threw his
glove in the air and made like he was pumping a shotgun at it. Ovechkin has had
50 before. Good thing Rick Tocchet, who had 2,972 career penalty minutes, was
behind the Lightning bench, and not on the ice. Tocchet always played the game
in ill-humour.
"He came down a notch in my book," said Tocchet, who may also
have wondered why none of his players were as mad as he was.

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/sports/will+next+Brodeur/1415837/story.html

Hot dog needs to cool it

OK, I wasn't wild about Alexander Ovechkin's celebration last week in Tampa
after he wristed in his 50th goal of the season. AO promptly dropped his stick
flat on the ice and held both hands over it, as if it were just too hot to
touch. What, did he steal that from Marcel Marceau's days in the Quebec League?
Regular readers of this space know that I'm all for Ovechkin's enthusiasm,
energy, and usually his celebrations. But, come on, Alex, leave a little room
here for what might happen if, say, the Capitals actually win a Stanley Cup. I'm
beginning to worry that you might try some Harry Houdini trick, strip down to
your shorts in the neutral zone and have yourself frozen in the ice. Like
forever.

http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/articles/2009/03/22/shadows_of_themselves/?page=full