TORONTO -- If you're a goalie and want to stop Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin's one-timer, former Soviet Union national team goalie and Hockey Hall of Fame member Vladislav Tretiak has a trick you should maybe try.
"If I play today against Ovechkin, I play more high because he shoots one-timer all the time," Tretiak said prior to the Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremony Monday.
Tretiak said his trick for trying to stop Ovechkin is the same one he thought of after Bobby Hull scored three goals against him in Game 4 of the 1974 Summit Series in Vancouver.
"Bobby Hull play unbelievable, he scored against me [three] goals in Canada, and I think how do you stop the puck because he shot it one-time all the time, the hardest shot," Tretiak said. "I think my reaction, impossible to stop the puck. But I also think maybe if I move two meters out more I could do it.
"Sometimes it's impossible because sometimes the goalie moves and the hardest shot, it's impossible to stop the puck."
Tretiak said he wonders why goalies don't come out further to challenge Ovechkin when he winds up for his one-timer.
"Maybe not think too much," Tretiak said, laughing. "It's very important if you play against Ovechkin, you play against [Wayne] Gretzky, you've gotta watch the video of how they play because it's very important to know who the best players who play against you."
Ovechkin is tied with Sergei Fedorov for the most goals scored by a Russian in NHL history with 483. He has done it in 772 games; Fedorov scored his in 1,248 games.
Ovechkin's next change to break Fedorov's record will be Tuesday, when the Capitals play the Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena on the night the Red Wings will honor Fedorov for his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
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