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Veterans, coaches, and youngsters alike.
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If the Maple Leafs and Columbus Blue Jackets are a representative cross-section of the National Hockey League in regard to what Alex Ovechkin did on Friday night, everyone was exhilarated.
The reaction to Ovechkin, who scored twice in the Washington Capitals’ 5-3 win against the Chicago Blackhawks to tie Wayne Gretzky for the most goals in NHL history, was universal.
“Oh, my God,” Jackets winger and former Leaf James van Riemsdyk said. “It’s insane to see. That’s definitely one (record) you never thought was going to get touched and to see how he’s done it, the consistency and the longevity that he’s had, is pretty amazing.
“He’s a hell of a player. To see all this come to fruition, it seems a little bit surreal, to be honest.”
Ovechkin’s next goal will be the 895th of his NHL career, and he will get a chance to have the record to himself when the Caps visit the New York Islanders on Sunday afternoon.
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Leafs coach Craig Berube watched on TV as Ovechkin went to work against the Blackhawks.
“It’s awesome,” Berube said. “How he went about it, his whole career, he really has not changed. He’s a typical power forward that is physical and has size and strength, and can shoot a puck in the net from anywhere. I was hoping he got that third one (for the new mark).
“It’s great for the game, great for him. To see Wayne there supporting him is pretty cool.”
Said Leafs defenceman Chris Tanev: “Pretty crazy watching an incredible player accomplish an incredible feat. It was a great moment for hockey.”
Jackets coach Dean Evason’s coaching career in the NHL started in 2005-06 with the Capitals, when he was an assistant on Glen Hanlon’s staff during Ovechkin’s rookie season. Evason was an assistant in Washington for the first seven years of Ovechkin’s NHL career.
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“I was fortunate to have been there for the first game he played,” Evason said. “The entire hockey world is excited about what he’s doing, but to have an inside look at what he what he did was special.”
Leafs winger Nick Robertson noted that Ovechkin tied Gretzky despite playing in one less NHL game than the latter. Gretzky finished in 1999 with 1,487 NHL games. Ovechkin is at 1,486.
“He’s technically first, so it’s pretty remarkable,” the 23-year-old Robertson said. “I watched him my whole life growing up and to be playing against him, it’s an honour.
“You’re playing against Ovie, it’s kind of surreal. I don’t really get like that with too many guys. For him to continue to score and do what he’s doing is pretty amazing.”
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