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Like Gretzky vs. Lemieux, or Gordie Howe vs. the Rocket, or Bobby Orr vs. Gretzky, the controversy will rage in hot-stove arguments 50 years from now.
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One in every of them has gray hair. The opposite bears a nickname, “Sid the Child,” that now not suits.
One is certainly the best goal-scorer of his time and maybe of all time. The opposite is probably the most prolific point-producer of his time.
They’re, after all, Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby, the hockey giants of the early twenty first century, the gamers whose excellence and rivalry have dominated the NHL since they completed one-two within the Calder Trophy voting in 2006.
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The rebuilding Canadiens to must face them back-to again on the street final week and the consequence was maybe predictable. Ovechkin drew an help on a power-play objective for Tom Wilson and a third-period objective from the towering Belarusian Aliaksei Protas that put the sport out of attain earlier than scoring Washington’s remaining objective within the third interval of a 6-3 win.
(Notice that Canadiens sniper Cole Caufield potted his tenth objective the identical night time.)
Two nights later, it was Crosby’s flip. He scored on Sam Montembeault within the first interval and added the successful objective on the facility play with 1:20 left within the second, bringing his three-game complete to 4 objectives and 7 factors.
As this season unfolds, Ovechkin’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL goal-scoring file will develop into a dominant storyline. Gretzky’s mark stands at 894. Ovechkin is barely 34 objectives behind at 860. As of this writing, he has seven objectives in 11 video games, on tempo for a 52-goal season — that means that he would smash the Nice One’s file with room to spare.
“On tempo for” is a meaningless phrase till you truly do it. Ovechkin turned 39 on Sept. 17, an age when he should be slowing down. A yr in the past, it appeared that was the case, however Ovechkin appears to have discovered a brand new gear.
Street to the Cup
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Whether or not or not he breaks the file this season probably doesn’t matter. Given his health and his goal-scoring prowess, Ovechkin goes to smash Gretzky’s file with room to spare. It’s not inconceivable that he would possibly rating 1,000 objectives earlier than he’s via.
So who’s the better participant, Crosby or Ovechkin? (For the sake of the hockey dialogue, let’s put apart Ovechkin’s blind assist for the murderous Vladimir Putin.)
Russians will say Ovechkin is bigger due to his goal-scoring prowess. Canadians will favour Crosby due to his three Stanley Cup rings and two gold medals.
There isn’t a definitive reply. Like Gretzky vs. Mario Lemieux, or Gordie Howe vs. the Rocket, or Bobby Orr vs. Gretzky, the controversy will rage in hot-stove arguments 50 years from now.
Our verdict? We’ve been very lucky to see two such nice gamers for therefore a few years.
Rehashing the rebuild: The Canadiens are locked right into a three-game dropping streak going into Tuesday night time’s tilt towards the Flames, so the inevitable knives are out and Martin St. Louis is the inevitable goal.
St. Louis gained’t let it trouble him. Panicky fools will all the time be a part of the panorama round right here, as they had been through the 1976-77 season. Within the midst of the best marketing campaign in NHL historical past, there have been unhealthy 7-2 and 7-3 losses in St. Louis and Boston wrapped round a 6-0 shutout over the Kings — and there have been calls to fireplace Scotty Bowman.
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“The rebuild’s largest risk,” World Information’s Brian Wilde mentioned final week, “is likely to be media/followers wanting it to occur quick. Because it stands, (Kent) Hughes has an extended leash to work with. If the leash shortens, he’ll want wins. If he wants wins, he’s buying and selling future for current. Effective when Cup’s in view. Not positive in rebuild yr three of 5.”
It bears repeating: St. Louis is a masterful trainer, affected person and soft-spoken. Maybe he’s the coach to steer this workforce to a Stanley Cup three or 4 years down the street, maybe not. For this workforce right now, he’s precisely the coach these younger gamers want.
Deliver on the Argos: When the Alouettes met Toronto within the Japanese Closing final yr, the Argos had been the overwhelming favourites.
They had been trampled by Montreal’s defence in a 38-17 loss. This yr, the Argos and poisonous quarterback Chad Kelly can be looking for revenge towards an Alouettes workforce that has been treading water since midseason.
With an enormous convention lead and quarterback Cody Fajardo lacking six video games, the Als saved successful, for probably the most half, till, with nothing to play for, they misplaced three out of 4 down the stretch.
So what occurs when the 2 groups meet once more Saturday afternoon at Percival Molson? It’s a secure wager the Argonauts won’t come near matching the 58 factors they put up in drubbing the Redblacks. Not towards Tyrice Beverette and that rugged Montreal defence.
Fearless prediction? Alouettes, 21-19.
Heroes: Pierre Houde, Marc-André Fleury, Sidney Crosby, Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Jake Evans, Brendan Gallagher, Josh Anderson, Jessica Campbell, Tara Dower, Leylah Fernandez, William Dandjinou, Steven Dubois &&&& final however not least, Martin St. Louis.
Zeros: Chad Kelly, Drake, Tom Brady, Nick Bosa, Harrison Butker, Jerry Jones, Jaxson Hayes, John Tavares, John Fisher, Bud Selig Jr., Claude Brochu, David Samson &&&& final however not least, Jeffrey Loria.
Now and eternally.
jacktodd46@yahoo.com
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