WASHINGTON — It wasn't but 18 words into his postgame interview with NBC's Pierre McGuire that Alex Ovechkin came to a realization.
The buzzer had just groaned, and Ovechkin and the Capitals had defeated the Lightning in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals. For the first time in his 13-year career, Ovechkin would play for the Stanley Cup, a chance to end a championship drought for a city he's poured his heart and soul into for over a third of his 32-year-old life.
"I can't wait to go back home and play for a Stanley Cup Final," he said. "It's going to be nuts over there."
That was 10 days and two games ago. With Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final shifting to Capital One Arena on Saturday night, Ovechkin will finally get to experience that moment, one that he's desperately yearned to get to after years of coming up short. It was 4,623 days ago Ovechkin debuted on the Capitals' home ice in Washington. Since then, he's chased a singular dream of leading Washington to a championship.
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"We’re all excited," he said Saturday morning, following the Capitals' skate at Kettler Ice Complex in Arlington, Va. "Fans excited, whole town excited.
"To be honest with you I just stay home and don’t try to go in the city and look at the fans and look at the people. But as soon as we go somewhere with my family, everybody wish you luck and everybody excited."
Because, for as much as Ovechkin has fetishized hoisting the Stanley Cup over his head, Capitals fans have not only also longed for that moment, but specifically for Ovechkin to be the one who leads them there.
"I do," Mike Robertson said. "A lot of other fans of other teams say that they would like to see Ovechkin get the trophy. He got a bad rap early in his career, but he's definitely embraced the whole fans, and become much more of a personable character."
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Like many characters in a long story, Ovechkin has gone through arcs. Behind it all has been his base: He's one of the greatest goal-scorers in NHL history. But that alone is only part of Ovechkin's story. His personality has also endeared himself to hockey fans. He's been honest, open, and according to Robertson, an athlete the city can get behind and root for.
"He was always very animated on the ice, and obviously an otherworldly talent, but I said before we moved, he's simply moved to another level as far as interacting with people," Robertson said.
It's something Robertson witnessed first hand, or really more specifically, first paw.
While Robertson himself is somewhat anonymous, his pet bulldog, "Ovechkin," has gained national notoriety. Robertson and wife Kim lived in Maryland for 17 years before recently moving to Coronado. But in 2013, with dog in tow, Robertson met the Capitals captain, who happily chummed it up with man and man's best friend.
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"I just yelled at him, 'Ovi, meet Ovi!' and he came over and took the picture," Robertson said.
They met again more recently at a Capitals practice, where Robertson said Ovechkin made a point to stop to catch up with the doggie friend.
"And he just says 'My buddy!' and he starts petting him, and hanging out," Robertson said. "He said, 'I'm going to sign his jersey.' He was so patient, and I'm just sitting there thinking, 'he's probably signed enough jerseys on kids and people, but never with a dog who's moving.' I was like, 'Ovi, sit, but not you,' and he had a good laugh."
It's the glimpses like those into Alex Ovechkin the person that have helped in some ways to change the narrative surrounding the Russian superstar.
"All through the playoffs, you just have to — you guys have seen it — you guys have captured it," head coach Barry Trotz said ahead of Game 3. "You’ve captured his emotion. You’ve captured his … even the Holtby save. You just look at his face. He’s so emotional about playing for the Cup. It’s something he’s always wanted to do."
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Holtby with a larcenous save, and Ovechkin's reaction is priceless 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/Q0JQYw4xOf
— Hockey Central (@HockeyCentraI) May 31, 2018
How Capitals seasons have ended have largely fallen on Ovechkin's shoulders. But through all of that, he's been steadfast in his unwavering mission to win a championship, now three victories away from reaching that pinnacle.
"For Alex being the face of the franchise for a long time, being one of the faces of the league and sometimes taking undue criticism for an individual player in a real team sport where you need everybody, he’s taken a lot of that," Trotz said. "He has a lot of pride. He wants to deliver a Cup to the city."
And when you're in a market producing at the level Ovechkin has with such longevity, the spotlight will always be shined on you. And with everyone watching, Ovechkin hasn't held anything back, displaying the same openness and demeanor that has invited everyone into the Ovechkin Experience.
"One thing you can see is Alex keeps his emotions on his sleeve," Trotz said. "It’s on the outside. It’s not on the inside. You know exactly what he’s thinking."