During a recent broadcast on TNT of the Rangers-Capitals game, Darren Pang made a comment about Alex Ovechkin that he believed was innocuous. However, he woke up the following morning to find that his words had ignited a wave of outrage in the nation's capital. This unexpected backlash stemmed from comments made during the first period of a thrilling 3-2 Capitals overtime victory at Madison Square Garden.
Pang pointed out that while Ovechkin has primarily scored goals from his “office” near the hash marks in the left circle throughout his illustrious career, this season has seen the 39-year-old winger being strategically repositioned on the ice as he pursues Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goal-scoring record. Notably, Ovechkin netted his 885th career goal during the third period, tying the game and bringing him within nine goals of matching Gretzky's record.
“I give Spencer Carbery and his coaching staff an awful lot of credit,” Pang remarked, referencing the Capitals’ head coach. “We all know that Alex Ovechkin’s been a bit of a one-trick pony throughout his NHL career, but that has not been the case this season.” Along with his analysis, a video montage showcased Ovechkin scoring from various locations on the ice, but many viewers fixated on the “one-trick pony” remark.
The Capitals' social media team quickly responded with a pointed tweet when sharing a video of Ovechkin’s latest goal. The post read, “One trick pony scores his 885th career goal and records his 1,599th career point.” This tweet did not go unnoticed; it was shared widely and became a topic of discussion among fans and commentators alike.
John Auville, a host of “The Sports Junkies” on 106.7 FM in D.C., humorously labeled Pang as “Public enemy 1 in DC right now,” highlighting the intense reactions that followed his on-air comments.
In a subsequent appearance on the radio show, Pang expressed surprise at the level of outrage his comment had generated. “What I was alluding to last night was how impressed I was with how flexible he’s been and that he’s not scoring from that same area all the time,” Pang clarified, emphasizing that his comment was “absolutely” misinterpreted by some viewers.
As of now, Ovechkin boasts an impressive record of 32 goals and 17 assists in just 46 games this season. His performance has significantly contributed to the Capitals securing the top spot in the Eastern Conference with a record of 40-14-8 (88 points). Additionally, Ovechkin is just one point away from becoming the 11th player in NHL history to reach 1,600 career points, with 20 games remaining this season to continue his pursuit of breaking Gretzky's legendary goals record.
