Ovechkin Ejected for Kneeing Gleason

Alex Ovechkin has a multi-faceted reputation in the NHL. Not only is he one of the league's best offensive players, but he is a ferocious hitter who takes no prisoners on the ice. His mentality -- treat every shift as if it's your last -- can be a double-edged sword, as Ovechkin has shown recently.

Last week, he was ejected for a boarding penalty against the Buffalo Sabres. Monday night, he picked up his second game misconduct in less than a week. This time, it was for a knee-to-knee hit on Carolina defenseman Tim Gleason.

Update: Ovechkin Day-to-Day With Knee Injury

The incident happened during the first period of Washington's game at Carolina. Here is the video.

It's an obvious major penalty, and it's hard to argue with the assessment of a game misconduct. Since it's "only" the second one given to Ovechkin this season, he is not subject to an automatic suspension. Instead, the NHL has a decision to make.

Ovechkin obviously took a stride with his knee sticking out. Whether you think he was trying to hurt Gleason or not, it's hard to argue with what's on the video. This wasn't an accident.

Replace the name "Alex Ovechkin" with, say, "Sean Avery," and what do you think happens?

The same thing has to happen here. After all, between last week's illegal hit and an incident in the playoffs last year, the Great Eight is starting to develop a reputation.

If you forgot about Ovechkin's dustup with Pittsburgh defenseman Sergei Gonchar, here is that video.

Even the biggest Ovechkin fan is going to start having trouble defending his actions on the ice. The league has to step in and do the right thing, no matter the player's superstar status.