Ovechkin milestone thread - 850 and Beyond!

[Fantomas]

Wow that's certainly a statement after we compare post counts.

Joke's on you. I post from the office.

 

[pezpunk]

You would never see Gretzky or Bobby Orr hang their team out to dry with a late 2 goal lead just to pad their stats.

Haha uh oh you messed up. That’s so easy to prove objectively false.

No one will ever come close to padding their stats like Gretzky did.

Gretzky = 255 goals when up by 2+ (including 37 goals leading by FIVE or more LOL)
OV = 129* (* as of Oct29, thx to pnep for chart he posted then)

Beat me to it. But yeah there are loads of stats showing how Gretzky ran up his stats once his team had already put games away.

Now go look up who has more game-winning goals, Ovi or Gretzky.

 

[stephenball]

Gretzky would have scored more ENG’s but back then goalies legs didn’t work, so they couldn’t get to the bench in the first place.

Kidding aside, when up (especially by two goals), there is a major benefit to a player with the offensive acumen to put the game away. The Caps blew a game earlier in the season (I think against the Leafs?) when they messed around and didn’t score the ENG when they had a chance. Ovechkin saw that the Caps had control of the puck and took the opportunity to open himself up to put the game away, and that’s what he did.

Sure beats just shelling up in your defensive zone getting ground down and blocking shots for the rest of regulation.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Sorry Ovi-fans, but I hope that he never gets Gretzky. Gretzky was another level still.

Ovi is a better goalscorer than Gretzky , let Gretzky have his 100 other records its ok , Ovi is not particularly close to Gretzky overall so why act like it's some shame on Gretz

 

[PM88RU]

Those complaining that Ovi is an empty net merchant obviously deny the fact that the hockey has changed (due to rules, equipment etc), and so the teams and coaches had to adapt to it.

There was a discussion on HF not that long ago where it was shown that the number of EN situations and points has significantly grown during last years. And so did the number of cases where F is given ice time during EN to finish the deal if it becomes possible. That’s a tactics change, and it’s like that ALL OVER THE NHL.

What do you suggest Ovi to do under this conditions? To tell the coach that he’s a “true” goal scorer and despises scoring on the empty net so please do not give him EN ice time?

What’s next? To beat the record cleanly - take a 80-90-s wooden stick and skates? In order to prove that he’s the one truly deserving?

Yeah, he’s not that stupid, thanks God.

 

[DitchMarner]

Those complaining that Ovi is an empty net merchant obviously deny the fact that the hockey has changed (due to rules, equipment etc), and so the teams and coaches had to adapt to it.

There was a discussion on HF not that long ago where it was shown that the number of EN situations and points has significantly grown during last years. And so did the number of cases where F is given ice time during EN to finish the deal if it becomes possible. That’s a tactics change, and it’s like that ALL OVER THE NHL.

What do you suggest Ovi to do under this conditions? To tell the coach that he’s a “true” goal scorer and despises scoring on the empty net so please do not give him EN ice time?

What’s next? To beat the record cleanly - take a 80-90-s wooden stick and skates? In order to prove that he’s the one truly deserving?

Yeah, he’s not that stupid, thanks God.

It seems there's an empty-netter (or at least a chance for one or more) in almost every game that's not tied late in the third period these days.

Didn't a team pull its goalie down by four or five with like ten minutes left a little while ago?

Also, it doesn't seem uncommon for players to score two empty-netters in a single game nowadays. Kiviranta did that recently.

Don't know why there's so much commotion over an empty net goal. They're common and star players score and assist on them often.

 

[TRASHCAT]

Ovechkin not being as good (overall) as Gretzky is not the own you think it is

 

[Ghost of Murph]

I'm so glad Ovi's goal last night was an empty netter. Killed two birds with one stone -- a goal closer to the record, and made the haters seethe.

 

[pi314]

"Gretzky didn't pad with empty netters"

Didn't need to given goalies couldn't figure out how to stop shots travelling along the ice in the 80s.

Gretzky scored empty betters but did so without floating behind the other team and leaving his team shorthanded.

Big difference.

 

[FrozenJagrt]

Haha uh oh you messed up. That’s so easy to prove objectively false.


Beat me to it. But yeah there are loads of stats showing how Gretzky ran up his stats once his team had already put games away.

Now go look up who has more game-winning goals, Ovi or Gretzky.

Yep. Ovechkin has Gretzky beat by about 40 GWG.

 

[Roland of Gilead]

Its so funny that some ppl here are saying that Ovi is better than Gretzky? Some russians? So funny.....

 

[BallardEra]

Don't know why there's so much commotion over an empty net goal. They're common and star players score and assist on them often.

Mainly because it's one goal closer to 894 and a lot of people don't want him to break the record. The noise will get a lot louder too the closer he gets.

 

[FreeToShareWithMeOk]

Because the game was 4-2 with a few minutes left.

Every player’s first and foremost responsibility is to do what it takes to win.

The most important thing to win is to keep it a 2.

It’s the most obvious defense first situation.

Not leave your team shorthanded to pad your stats.

You would never see Gretzky or Bobby Orr hang their team out to dry with a late 2 goal lead just to pad their stats.

Hard to figure out what my favorite part about this Chernobyl of a take is. Either the fact that Gretzky until very recently was the all time leader in ENGs as a center (ie the one forward that really really should be back doing le defense if you buy into that approach) or that it was posted the same night Seattle beat Vancouver after scoring 2 empty net goals to tie it up. You should venture over to the Vancouver boards and ask them how happy they are that their team tried to "keep it a 2" instead of "padding stats"

 

[BallardEra]

Gretzky scored empty betters but did so without floating behind the other team and leaving his team shorthanded.

Big difference.

Gretzky was pretty much at the other blue line

 

[Mrfenn92]

Good to have ovi back and looking forward to him breaking the record

 

[YoRy]

The moment Gretzky scored 802:
Gretzky - 49 ENG
Howe - 12 ENG

So I don't see a problem with extra ENGs for Ovi. He's not the first to do this.

 

[Nikki Potnick]

Hard to figure out what my favorite part about this Chernobyl of a take is. Either the fact that Gretzky until very recently was the all time leader in ENGs as a center (ie the one forward that really really should be back doing le defense if you buy into that approach) or that it was posted the same night Seattle beat Vancouver after scoring 2 empty net goals to tie it up. You should venture over to the Vancouver boards and ask them how happy they are that their team tried to "keep it a 2" instead of "padding stats"

I mean, I for one hate when a player on my team secures a victory by scoring an empty net goal. Nothing gets me redder.

 

[hockeykicker]

another one

 

[Nikki Potnick]

And another.

It's really too bad he got hurt, I already think he's still gonna beat the record this season, but I think he would've won another Rocket which would of been the cherry on top.

 

[Kap-the-Head]

Another one

 

[BallardEra]

17 goals in 20 games.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

24 away now, classic one timer off the rush

 

[Sensatauro]

Gretzky scored empty betters but did so without floating behind the other team and leaving his team shorthanded.

Big difference.

Did you watch hockey back in the late 80s and 90s? Because I don't think you did since what you just wrote on said quoted post, is not at all accurate. I see other posters show numbers and actual clips to demonstrate your, not at all true "statement of fact" toned post.

I truly am curious to the few who don't want Ovi to break the record. What's the deal?

Dudes like one of the funniest and coolest personalities of all time. Just seems it's more of an Russian hate thing then any real issues with Ovi himself.

Back to back games scoring upon return from a leg break.

In life we have but three things guaranteed, death, taxes and Ovi breaking the NHLs all time goals scored record

 

[BallardEra]

40 goals in his last 56 games.

 

[Firsov99]

Its so funny that some ppl here are saying that Ovi is better than Gretzky? Some russians? So funny.....

I am yet to see a post where someone claims that Ovi is a better overall player than Gretz. Maybe I should I read more carefully.