Samantha Pell/Twitter

While Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin was not on the ice for the team’s tilt against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, The Great Eight still put on a show for the fans in attendance, having some fun while watching from the press box.

In one video, a chorus of “Ovi sucks” chants can be heard emanating from the fans seated near the press box. Always the entertainer, Ovechkin responded by pretending as though he didn’t understand, then conducted the fans, who ate the antics up in good humor.

Ovi @ovi8 hamming it up with the fans at #MSG after the Caps took the lead. #LGR #NYR #MSG #nocap #allcaps @Capitals pic.twitter.com/jjmCzb2fBE

— HatTrickHarry (@HatTrickHarryNY) April 30, 2022

In another, Ovi can be seen turning to indulge fans on the opposite side of the box, with Nicklas Backstrom filming his running mate’s response with his phone, and defenseman Matt Irwin also having a laugh.

Not my friend next to Ovi while he’s being a troll. 😩 pic.twitter.com/h0nK5yb0e5

— Amanda Rose (@amanduhroseg) April 30, 2022

Ovechkin taking the night off in MSG against the Rangers? Apparently… 😆 pic.twitter.com/juXA7pqF3C

— Chris McC (@chrisitis131313) April 30, 2022

@ovi8 taunting some fans at MSG tonight. pic.twitter.com/uXYkPUBVwP

— Denis (@dkod19) April 30, 2022

Ovechkin is missing his third consecutive game with a day-to-day upper-body injury suffered during the Caps’ game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday. The Capitals are playing their final regular season game in New York before the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs next week.