Ovechkin gets the better of Price as Caps edge Habs in shootout

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Conceptions of worth can vary across cultures and in the diverse hockey world the hierarchy of value is not settled.

Is it more crucial for a team, for example, to have an all-world goaltender than it might be to have the purest goal-scorer in the game?

This is a question NHL awards voters will answer in due time. However, it might be instructive for them to view the game tape from Thursday's game between the Montreal Canadiens and Washington Capitals before they make their checkmark.

The Habs scuffled through the month of March (winning six and losing nine) and haven't looked much like a powerhouse Stanley Cup contender in winning just one of their past four games – although it's hard to blame this state of affairs on Carey Price, the NHL's top goalie.

The Caps, meanwhile, have steadily motored up the standings in the past few weeks, propelled by their magnificent 50-goal scorer, Alex Ovechkin.

So who should win the Hart Trophy for league MVP? The smart money is on Price – the Habs are a marginal playoff team without him – as teammate Max Pacioretty said earlier this week, "He's the best there is."

But Ovechkin's coach, Barry Trotz, quite reasonably points out that scoring 50 in today's era is a signal achievement, and is arguably more impressive than scoring 65 in 2007-08. Ovechkin has manifestly regained his mantle as the most dangerous offensive threat in hockey. And if you like winning it helps to score goals.

The principals themselves, it should be pointed out, have no use for the debate – legends are measured in Stanley Cups, not Hart trophies.

Anyway, the Price aficionados will point out the thing about wingers is they can be bottled up.

And that's what Habs defenceman P.K. Subban did to Ovechkin in the first period. No shots on goal, none attempted, a couple of zone entries thwarted and a self-inflicted cartwheeling hit when the burly Russian tried to jump inside Subban at the Montreal blueline.

Price, meanwhile, had only two Washington shots to save in the frame. The first was a tester from the high slot by Caps defenceman Mike Green – he parried it with his arm.

So if anyone had the advantage after 20, it was Price, right?

Not so fast.

Forwards may be prone to being blanketed; the Ovechkin crowd will remind you top goalies aren't immune to a high-quality shot and a big-time release.

So it was that with the game tied 1-1 (Montreal opened through defenceman Jeff Petry a minute into the second, Washington equalized 10 minutes later when Subban lost the puck along the boards and Joel Ward snapped his 18th past Price on a three-on-one) that the Caps went on the power-play.

With Brandon Prust already in the box, Pacioretty hooked Evgeny Kuznetsov and though the Habs survived a short five-on-three, Ovechkin went to work after it ended.

Scooping up a pass in the neutral zone, he beetled around Prust at the blueline, then twisted Subban inside out before unleashing an off-balance wrister that sizzled past Price's ear.

Advantage Ovechkin, then.

Yes, for a time. Thirty-nine seconds, in fact.

That's how long it took for the Habs to reply through defenceman Tom Gilbert; Ovechkin was among the players who couldn't contain Alex Galchenyuk as he lugged the puck up the ice and dished to P.A. Parenteau, whose pass sprang Gilbert.

Before the end of the period Lars Eller had made it 3-2 – Ovechkin was once again on the ice; Subban collected his second assist of the night.

Early in the third period, Ovechkin wheeled down the ice with ill intent, dangled the puck through his legs – and had it knocked away by Subban. It turns out defenceman can be a handy commodity as well.

But Ovechkin being Ovechkin, he tied the game 3-3 on a third-period power play – chipping the rebound of his blocked shot. It was the third puck to find the net on only 14 shots – rather un-Price-like. Then Price took a delay-of-game penalty for shooting the puck over the glass.

Ward tipped in the go-ahead goal on John Carlson's drive from the point. Then Montreal went to the power play and Subban notched his third point – and 15th goal on the season, a new career high – with an unstoppable point shot of his own to make it 4-4.

The principles of statistical sampling suggest it's not a great idea to base sweeping judgments on a single game.

Paradoxically, Ovechkin's showing (and the Caps' shootout victory courtesy of Troy Brouwer – Price stoned Ovechkin on his attempt) might demonstrate the value of great goaltending.

Neither Hart case will hinge on the events at the Bell Centre. But they sure made for fun watching