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Washington Capitals: Alex Ovechkin’s Right, Nicklas Backstrom is a Scoring Machine

By Michael Marzzacco

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 20:Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom (19) celebrates after scoring during the first period of Game Five of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Washington Capitals and the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday, April 20, 2019. (Photo by Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 20:Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom (19) celebrates after scoring during the first period of Game Five of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Washington Capitals and the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday, April 20, 2019. (Photo by Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post via Getty Images) /
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Nicklas Backstrom is usually the one dishing out the assists rather than scoring the goals. Not this spring.

Nicklas Backstrom already has two multi-goal games in the postseason, scoring two goals in Games 1 and 5 as well as an additional one in Game 2. That’s five goals in five games after Backstrom finished 2018’s Stanley Cup run with five goals in 20 games.

After Game 2, Alex Ovechkin joked to the media that Backstrom is an elite scorer. While he was initially joking about the role-reversal Ovechkin may be onto something.

“Right now, Backy is a scoring machine. I’m Backstrom,” said Ovechkin after he assisted on that goal in Game 2.

Ovechkin also assisted on Backstrom’s second goal of Game 5 when he came down the zone and fed Backstrom a cross-ice pass.

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It’s like a scene from the movie Freaky Friday. Like Ovechkin and Backstrom ate fortune cookies and changed bodies. Usually it’s Backstrom making those cross-ice passes to Ovechkin. Usually it’s Backstrom creating scoring chances for the “Great Eight” from almost anywhere on the ice.

Regardless of who’s on the scoreboard or how they do it, the Capitals put together their best 60-minute effort of the spring in a 6-0 statement Game 5 win.

“Tonight we played some Caps hockey. Everyone bought into everything, worked together, it paid off,” said Backstrom.

In addition to the two goals, Backstrom actually did add a pair of assists to his repertoire in 16:43. The team who has scored the first goal of the game has won in this series. In the Capitals’ case, Backstrom has scored in the first goal in all three of their wins. They better hope he gets that first goal in Game 6!

Like Ovechkin, Capitals fans admire Backstrom for both his playmaking abilities and what he’s done for the team. Unlike Ovechkin, a lot of the league still doesn’t realize the unique talent that Backstrom has. They all know Ovechkin but do they ever wonder who’s dishing the puck out to him the most?

Capitals Win Game 5 6-0 to Put the Hurricanes on the Brink. dark. Next

If Backstrom keeps scoring at the rate he does this postseason, fans everywhere will know his name soon enough.

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