Alex Ovechkin proved to me why he's the heir to NHL's throne as best player - not Sidney Crosby. He is a dynamic force on the ice in the way that Mario Lemieux once was...but he's just as big, and much faster and stronger. Like Mario, he found a way to win last night without scoring a goal; he displayed grit, hustle, and sublime passing skills. I was particularly taken by his outstanding defensive play (not one of Mario's strong suits) including an incredible diving swipe on a breakaway that likely saved a goal. Though i'm a Ranger fan, I'm a hockey fan, and its great to see an athlete reach the top of the sport right before my eyes. That said, i'd rather Ovechkin channel me instead of Mario Lemieux for the remainder of the series .

In the meantime, here's a wonderful nugget of Super Mario's top 10 goals just to keep things real: http://tinyurl.com/2amjcq