Kids these days, amirite? The Montreal Canadiens are back in the playoffs for the first time in 4 years, facing off against the grizzled veterans that are the Washington Capitals. In comparison, the current iteration of the Habs are a lot greener, with an average age of 25.95 years, making them the youngest team to reach the playoffs in league history. But despite that, or perhaps because of the nonchalance of youth, the Canadiens look primed to put up a fight. Especially Ivan Demidov, whose bold comment about Alex Ovechkin might just wake the old sleeping bear again.

For some context, it began when Montreal’s 19-year-old Russian rookie decided to stir the pot a little during a recent locker room interview. When asked by reporters about whether Ovechkin was an idol of his growing up, Demidov took a second to respond before confirming that he was, but only during his childhood. Now? “I love Malkin much better than Ovi,” said Demidov. Ouch. For a guy who’s played just two NHL games, that’s some serious shade thrown at a legend.

In response to his words, a tweet by the X account, optimistic nats fan brought up a moment from the 2019 playoffs in a not so subtle warning to Demidov. “The last time a 19-year-old russian messed with Ovi it didn’t go to well for him, be careful my boy😂😂,” read the caption. And the accompanying video showed the now-infamous scrap where a 19-year-old Andrei Svechnikov and Alex Ovechkin start throwing hands during the first round between the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes. But it wasn’t much of a contest, with the clip showing Ovechkin’s raw power and why he’s not one to be trifled with.

Now, although Ovechkin didn’t respond to Demidov’s words, he nonetheless remained unconcerned with any pre-game distractions. “I’m pretty sure as soon as the puck drops everybody going to be in motivation mode and beast mode,” he said before Game 1. And boy, did he deliver. Ovi opened the scoring with a goal that echoed his record-breaking 895th, but it was his bone-rattling hit on Canadiens star Cole Caufield that stole the show.

The 5’8”, 175-pound winger went flying toward the boards, prompting Spittin’ Chiclets to tweet, “Cole Caufield does not recommend getting hit by Ovechkin 😂.” Caufield himself later laughingly admitted, “Don’t recommend it,” confirming Ovi’s hits continue to be as brutal as they look. Let’s not forget that as of two weeks ago, he was 3rd for all-time hits with 3,739, behind Matt Martin (3,930) and Cal Clutterbuck (4,029).

Despite Montreal’s late comeback in Game 1, Ovechkin sealed the deal with his first playoff overtime winner. Ever the humble superstar, he shrugged it off. As the series heats up, will the rookie’s words fuel Ovi’s fire? One thing’s for sure—this matchup just got a lot spicier.

Alex Ovechkin scores his first NHL playoff overtime goal

Alex Ovechkin, the Washington Capitals’ legendary winger, added yet another milestone to his storied career on Monday night, scoring his first-ever NHL playoff overtime winner against the Montreal Canadiens. The goal, which came just 2:26 into overtime, secured victory in the playoff opener and marked another significant moment for the 39-year-old, just weeks after his history-making 895th goal

Ovechkin’s overtime winner was his second goal of the night and his 74th in postseason play in over two decades in the league. Despite the milestone, Ovechkin remained characteristically modest. “A goal is a goal,” he said. “And in the playoffs, especially, it doesn’t matter who scores. I think it gives you confidence.”

But this wasn’t the only record he broke that night. Because with his OT winner, Ovechkin became the oldest player in league history to both score the OT winner and log 3 or more points in the game. It’s a playoff record that’s been standing for 45 years, set by Jean Ratelle of the Boston Bruins in 1979.

Earlier in the game, he scored on the power play from his trademark spot in the left faceoff circle, a shot eerily reminiscent of his record-breaking goal against the Islanders. The performance was a testament to his enduring prowess, blending physicality, leadership, and clutch scoring, with his 3 points and 7 hits.

Beyond his scoring, Ovechkin set the tone with his physical presence, leading the Capitals with seven hits. His night began with a thunderous check on Montreal’s Mike Matheson just 20 seconds into the game, signaling his intent to dominate. “He made a couple of big plays for us tonight, was physical, set the tone,” said coach Spencer Carbery. “He was leading the charge and dragging guys into the fight.”

The overtime goal erased a lingering footnote in Ovechkin’s career: despite 45 playoff games going to overtime, he had never scored the decisive goal until now. This vintage performance underscored why Ovechkin remains a force, earning admiration in the Capitals’ locker room for both his scoring touch and relentless physicality. As the Caps look to extend their one-game lead, Ovechkin’s leadership and ability to deliver in critical moments will undoubtedly remain central to their aspirations.