For nearly 20 years, the Kings and Washington Capitals have been led by the same two men: Anze Kopitar and Alex Ovechkin.
So awe-inspiring was their play that they became the faces of their respective countries, with Kopitar putting the tiny republic of Slovenia on the NHL’s map while Ovechkin rose to become the biggest Russian star in the post-Soviet era and perhaps of all time.
When the team captains take the ice Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena, Ovechkin will be playing the long game in pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s record for career goals while Kopitar will have the opportunity to become the greatest playmaker in Kings franchise history.
Ovechkin’s five goals this season have augmented his total to 827, 67 fewer than Gretzky’s consecrated 894. While Gretzky scored another eight goals in the World Hockey Association, the man he surpassed, Gordie Howe, scored a grand total of 975 between the NHL and WHA. Ovechkin has also tallied another 55 goals playing in Russia’s top professional league.
At the end of the day, it’s the NHL numbers that count and Kopitar is honing in on yet another statistical benchmark as he sits tied with Marcel Dionne at 757 assists apiece in a Kings uniform. Dionne compiled 283 additional assists with the Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers, while Kopitar, like Ovechkin, has spent his entire career with one franchise.
“For me, there’s no weakness, he’s a true No. 1 center,” said Dave Taylor, who played on the Triple Crown Line with Dionne and later drafted Kopitar as the Kings’ general manager.
Dionne famously said Kopitar “needed a wakeup” call during the spring of 2012 – and there’d be no more slumber for the Slovene sensation’s reputation as the Kings hoisted the Cup for the first time in franchise history three short months later and again in 2014, both times with Kopitar as its top center (Ovechkin would quaff the bubbly in 2018).
There won’t be much in the way of alarm clocks or smelling salts needed Wednesday. The Kings began the season with questions about their goaltending, which Cam Talbot has answered affirmatively and now even backup Pheonix Copley has put some early wobbles behind him to capture two straight decisions, including a shutout against Montreal on Saturday.
That win was the Kings’ third straight at home after struggling early. Their third pairing of Jordan Spence and Andreas Englund, which was insulated to a significant degree to start the year, has flourished of late with Spence providing buzz to five-man cycles and Englund finally bringing a the physical-yet-functional presence the Kings have coveted since they traded players like Kyle Clifford and Wayne Simmonds.
The top-line numbers were even more impressive entering the week, with the Kings tying for the NHL lead in goals per game, placing just one spot behind the New York Rangers for the fewest goals allowed and boasting the NHL’s top penalty kill after struggling shorthanded for much of last season. One of their top penalty killers, Blake Lizotte, has been out since Nov. 18, though McLellan’s comments to reporters indicated his estimated return was Sunday against Colorado.
The Kings’ imminent opponent, Washington, tripped over its own skate laces early in the season, failing to capture a solitary regulation win across its first five games. The Capitals have since sharpened up considerably and their points percentage is now the fourth best in the Eastern Conference. Between Game 5 and their recent losses to Edmonton and San Jose, Washington reeled off a 9-1-1 surge to keep pace in a cutthroat Metropolitan Division. Ovechkin, No. 1 defenseman John Carlson and Dylan Strome are the only Caps in double figures; the Kings have nine such scorers despite having played just one more game.
When: Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Crypto.com Arena
How to watch: Bally Sports West
