Those who watch the NHL on a regular basis know how often fights can break out. In fact, one-on-one fights are part of the game itself.
Alex Ovechkin, known as one of the greatest hockey players of all time, is also legendary for another reason: he knows how to throw punches like a champ.
However, when rookie Trent Frederic initiated a fight with Ovechkin, Ovechkin declined.
If you ask Andrei Svechnikov or countless other players who have fought with Ovechkin, they’d probably all say the same thing: Frederic dodged a bullet there. Indeed, Ovechkin has a reputation as one of the fiercest and scariest people to fight with in the NHL.
Considering the fact that Frederic is a rookie, he deserves a little bit of credit for not being afraid to fight Ovechkin. However, it seems as though Ovechkin felt bad for him, and didn’t want to take him to school.
However, Frederic eventually got his wish. He and Ovechkin had been pawing at each other all night, and eventually, Ovechkin simply kicked Frederic in the groin area.
Perhaps Ovechkin wasn’t trying to be so easy on the young rookie after all. Maybe he declined the fight initially so that he wouldn’t have to sit out for five minutes in a close game. So by kicking Frederic in the groin not in the context of a fight, he managed to both stay in the game and also teach the youngster a lesson. Now that’s veteran experience.
