Ovechkin and the Breakaway Challenge

The 2009 NHL All-Star Game Skills Competition – Breakaway Challenge just concluded, and just like last year, it entertained. Alex Ovechkin shot last, and below is video from his attempts. As we noted earlier, Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin have had an interesting relationship, but Malkin came to Ovechkin’s assistance on Ovechkin’s final attempt and goal. Ovechkin scored with Malkin’s stick, wrong handed.

Ovechkin’s first attempt was a recreation of “The Goal” that he scored in his rookie season, however the commentators didn’t realize what he was doing. He had said in an interview earlier in the day that he was going to attempt a shot that he had done in a regular season game.

Alex was named the winner in the Competition, for the second year in a row, with 42.8% of the vote, however the other guys made some impressive attempts as well.

Here is video from the NHL, that shows the complete competition :

Here is some video of the very creative Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks :

and some good stuff from midget Martin St. Louis of the Tampa Bay Lightning:

Next up was Ryan Getzlaf of the Anaheim Ducks, who definitely brought some skill and creativity.

This video includes Kane, St. Louis, and Getzlaf:

Hometown favorite, Alexei Kovalev of the Montreal Canadiens:

…and rookie Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning:

Here is all of the shooters in one video: