“The first couple shift was like, ‘Whoa'”

Alex Ovechkin scored two assists against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, becoming the sixth player to join the exclusive 700-goal, 700-assist club. But the conversation after the Capitals’ 4-2 win focused as much on his milestone as his positional change for the evening.

Ovechkin skated with Dylan Strome and Aliaksei Protas in the front row and managed to produce a multi-point game despite playing on his strong but unnatural side: the right wing.

After the final horn sounded, Monumental Sports Network’s Al Koken asked Ovi if it made a difference whether he played on the right or left.

“Not really,” Ovechkin said, “just when you have the puck on the right side it’s kind of uncomfortable right now, but we’ll see.”

That openness continued in the locker room, where he told the assembled media, “The first couple shift was like, ‘Whoa.’ It’s always like I want to go to the left side.”

Ovechkin, a right-handed hitter, has played almost his entire 20-year career on the left wing. As a young star, he often scored with attacks: he would fly down the left wing, cut to the middle of the ice and rip a wrist ball past a shielded goalie. Later in his career, Ovechkin became a lethal player from the left faceoff circle, earning him the iconic nickname Ovi’s office.

Hockey Hall of Fame center Adam Oates was the first to tinker with Ovechkin’s position, moving him to the right side during his time behind the Capitals’ bench. Ovi continued to score despite the move, leading the league in goals in both seasons he played under Oates, but often appeared to be shaken by movement, particularly collisions with his teammates during training and games.

A winger who plays on his strong side has obvious advantages. It allows a player to make passes on the forehand instead of the backhand and see more of the ice in the attacking zone. This also makes it easier to pass pucks along the boards in the D-zone and their backs are no longer as heavily involved in the game defensively. It should also be easier to knock pucks out of the zone.

“I have the experience of playing there, but it was a long time ago,” Ovechkin said Monday. “But again, it doesn’t matter whether you start on the left or the right, because in the game you come from the offensive zone to the D-zone and stay on the right side. So basically play there most of the time – left or right.”

Ovechkin may still have to get used to playing on the right side again, but head coach Spencer Carbery seemed happy with what he’s seen so far. Carbery praised Ovechkin’s performance against Vegas and highlighted his assist on Protas’ game-winning goal.

“I thought O was really – whether it was on the wing or whatever – he made that play happen on that goal,” Carbery said. “Great job with his feet, cuts back, creates some space: That’s a huge play in that moment.”

Before Saturday’s game, Carbery – who in the past has described himself as a “traditionalist” when it comes to a defenseman playing on his strong side – told reporters that he substituted Ovechkin for the sake of his linemate and the team’s construction have.

“We just made an adjustment to the line and put Protas there,” he said. “A lefty, trying to keep him on his strong side. We have an influx of left wingers, so we’re trying to avoid any of those players having to play on the offside.

He added: “I think it’s a small change. I find [Ovi] There’s a lot on both sides of the ice, so it’s not a big problem for me left and right.”

If Carbery decides to keep Ovechkin on the right side, he will have another chance to get used to the position when the Capitals face the Dallas Stars on Thursday at 7 p.m.