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Boudreau on Ovechkin: ‘He’s got a long way to go’

Nashville Predators v Washington Capitals

BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 20: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals skates in warmups prior to the game against the Nashville Predators at the 1st Mariner Arena on September 20, 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Predators defeated the Capitals 2-0. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

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Tomas Vokoun received the most criticism for the Washington Capitals’ sloppy 6-5 shootout win last night, but he wasn’t the only player who drew Bruce Boudreau’s ire. Pretty much all of the team’s big name players looked lousy in that game, but Boudreau singled out the biggest of them all: Alex Ovechkin.

“I think he’s got a long way to go to get to where he needs to be and should be,” Boudreau said after Ovechkin was a minus-2 in the Capitals’ wild 6-5 shootout win over the Lightning. “He’s our No. 1 player, but he can be better, there’s no doubt about it.”

It was difficult to shake the feeling that something was a little “off” about Ovechkin last night. He registered zero points and a -2 rating against the Tampa Bay Lightning and only has one assist and five shots in two games so far this season.

Ovechkin isn’t exactly a shutdown forward in his own end, so his offensive dry spells tend to be a little more noticeable. Ovi is coming off the worst year of his NHL career - which would be an outstanding season for just about any other player - but hopefully things will start bouncing his way soon enough.

If you ask Boudreau, Ovechkin could do a little more to “earn” those bounces.