Nick Wass / AP

Alex Ovechkin of the Caps had 65 goals, a club record, the most ever by an NHL left wing, the most by any player at any position since 1996 — and 13 more than anyone else scored in 2007-08.

That list of seemingly meaningful statistics could go on and on and on. Yet, as Ovechkin succinctly puts it: “Without the playoffs, the numbers mean nothing.”

Conversely, there would be no playoffs for the Capitals without his numbers.

Or his attitude.

“He’s led us here over the last month. I don’t know what his goals were or his points,” Green says, “but his energy that he brought and his character really helped us. Can’t say enough about that guy.”

Ovechkin’s glove-wagging, board-slamming celebrations when he scores are something akin to what happens after goals on a World Cup soccer field. It’s telling, though, that he gets just as pumped up when a teammate finds the net.

When Tomas Fleischmann scores in Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Florida, Ovechkin is the first member of the Capitals to offer a high-five to Fleischmann, followed by pats on the helmet for others on the ice. After Alexander Semin’s goal that night, Ovechkin darts over on those yellow-laced skates of his and launches his 6-foot-2, 217-pound frame at his teammate, countryman and pal, a hug-slash-tackle that leaves both sprawled on the ice.

“What I like about ’Ovie’ is, winning, losing, we’re ahead by five, we’re down by five, he always plays the same way — with heart and determination. We all feed off that,” teammate Matt Bradley says. “When you have a guy like that on your team, it’s almost like anything’s possible, you know?”

Apart from Sergei Fedorov, the Capitals who will be on the ice against Philadelphia don’t have a ton of NHL playoff experience.

No one seems too worried about how Ovechkin will handle the setting.

“He plays playoff-style hockey all year round,” Bradley says. “He’s not going to have to change a thing.”

And what about facing a Flyers team that has revived its “Broad Street Bullies” persona?

“What can I do? If they want to hit me, hit me,” Ovechkin says. “I don’t care. ... It’s the playoffs. No friends on the ice.”

He certainly plays that way. This is no finesse-only forward.

Don’t forget: During the very first shift of the very first game of his very first NHL season, Ovechkin pounded an opposing player into the boards so hard that a beam came dislodged from the glass.

Before the night was over, Ovechkin would score two goals, too.

“You just kind of knew,” Bradley says, thinking back to that Oct. 5, 2005, game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, “he was going to be something special.”

One could be forgiven, then, for imagining what Ovechkin might have in store for his first playoff appearance.

How many goals, perhaps even of the YouTube-worthy variety?

How many assists?

How many hard hits?

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Casual fans pay attention. TV ratings rise. Reputations are made. Endorsements are earned.

Ovechkin is happy to leave such speculation to others.

“I don’t want to show what I can do,” he says. “I just want to win.”

With that thought, Ovechkin is done talking to reporters for the night. He heads out of the locker room, eager to celebrate not so much what has been accomplished, but what might lie ahead.

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Heading to the Cup finals

Adam Henrique scored off a wild scramble in front early in OT and the New Jersey Devils defeated the New York Rangers 3-2 to advance to their first Stanley Cup finals since '03. The new Eastern champs will face LA next.

NBC Sports

Highlights: OT goal delivers Devils to Cup finals

  Check out highlights as the New Jersey Devils advanced to the Stanley Cup finals by defeating the New York Rangers, 3-2, in overtime.

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