Attacking Kovalev Popular but Misguided
February 4, 2009, by Homme De Sept-Iles
Montreal struggles, loses a few and like a poorly-organized lynching, the hockey scientologists and hate-mongerers have gathered outside Kovalev’s castle.
In a city eternally and increasingly slaking its thirst on the printed blood and sintered words of its least venerable sportsmedia personalities, the ritual is complete only when a harried Kovalev is dragged across the moat to explain himself by torchlight.
Even the blustering ruffians from the other village are joining in this time. English-speaking CBC featured an Alex Kovalev lowlight feature on Saturday night based on the powerful Russian’s insinuated Hab-not plays of that afternoon’s work against the Los Angeles Kings (a 4-3 Montreal win).
Sunday afternoon was the linchpin for the forced lowering of the castle drawbridge. In one of their worst displays of turnover management this season, the Canadiens lost inelegantly to the conference-leading Boston Bruins, 3-1.
Kovalev was the man in the harsh spotlight. Benched by Carbonneau for the majority of the third period, Kovalev finished the game with no goals, no assists and two minor penalties within a three-minute space early in the second period.
Though Boston failed to score on either power-play, Carbonneau was certainly justified in his decision. But the groundlings saw more in the benching than simply this.
The fact is, Carbonneau did not and will not go into details about this benching decision with the press. Perhaps he should. Or perhaps he knows that his Russian star can take the heat.
On Monday CBC featured a “What lies ahead for Habs’ Kovalev after benching?” article online. The majority of respondents were unforgiving. Kovalev is “lazy, overrated, sulking” and so on.
The thoughts here are different.
Kovalev’s good games and so-called bad games are nearly indistinguishable. Do any of the observers making these comments have a coach’s eye for the game? Any player’s performance (not just #27′s) seems easily dismissed or lauded based on whether said player got goals or assists. The rest of the performance ledger (passing accuracy, turnover prevention, shot selection, effort, leadership and a host of other variables) tend to go unmentioned and worse, unnoticed. There’s more to the game than goals and assists, people.
Most of the fans and media who critiqued (and continue to critique) Kovalev couldn’t explain a given play on a chalkboard (or telestrator) and couldn’t tell you the why or the how of a given successful or botched play.
Yet, the rest of us are forced to hear their conclusions and the coaching staffs of a given player must address these issues, wasting time and energy better spent commenting on other, more relevant questions.
Kovalev’s earlier reputation has followed him whether deserved or not. In joining Montreal, the right-winger has added a defensive dimension to his game and he does all the little things expected of players in the Carbonneau system.
Unfortunately, certain media folks and fans will continue to hold Kovalev to his reputation and until he wins a Stanley Cup in a Montreal uniform (and perhaps not even then) there will be little change. Once again, those certain Canadian hockey fans and sports media get a failing grade.
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