By DON BRENNAN, QMI AGENCY

OTTAWA -- So what does Alex Kovalev do for an encore tonight?

The Funky Chicken? The Electric Slide? The Locomotion?

The Ottawa Senators would settle for seeing their 36-year-old veteran do the Moonwalk again. That means the Bruins will need to score at least four goals to beat them.

MOONWALK

Kovalev performed the backwards dance step made famous by Michael Jackson in the 1980s when he skated on to Scotiabank Place ice as the game's first star for his four-goal, one-assist explosion in Sunday's 7-4 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Apparently, it wasn't the first time the shifty Russian showed he has what it takes for a future gig in Battle of the Blades.

"I started in Pittsburgh, when I scored hat tricks," Kovalev said yesterday, when asked about the orgin of his slick moves. "I don't know, it just kind of came to me.

"Since then everybody waited for hat tricks. All my friends kept calling (and asking) 'when are you going to get a hat trick? We want to see your Moonwalk.' Last time I scored a hat trick I didn't do it, and it was like, 20, 30 of my friends got disappointed. It was like: 'How come we didn't see your famous Moonwalk?' So this time, for fun, I just decided to do it."

Kovalev said it's not a skill he practises.

"My kids love Michael Jackson so it didn't take long to learn the moves," he said.

Kovalev entertained his teammates with a repeat performance during on-ice stretches before yesterday's practice.

"I think it's pretty well done," Jarkko Ruutu said. "I think what makes it even better are the white skates (he wears). It's special."

"He's a beauty," Nick Foligno said. "He likes to have fun. I think that's what's kept him in the game so long."

Kovalev had his first four-goal outing in his 1,190th game, bringing his career total to 405, but his 2009-10 output to just 11. More offence was expected from the talented winger signed by the Senators to a $5 million-US salary just two seasons after his last 35-goal campaign, but Kovalev has helped in other areas.

The product is more entertaining with him in the lineup, as at least once a game he puts on an exciting display of his puck possession skills. He is tied for second in the league with four shootout goals, greatly assisting Ottawa in an area it has long had trouble. His is also a much respected voice by his teammates.

What's more, Kovalev's centre, Mike Fisher, is enjoying the best season of his career, and Ryan Shannon's game has turned around dramatically since joining the line.

"There's some good chemistry on that line," coach Cory Clouston said. "I think the last five or six games that line has played very, very well."

The team, at 22-16-4, is seven wins ahead of where it was a season ago.

"If you compare the stats last year where this team was to this year, I think we're in perfect position," Kovalev said. "We're still in a playoff spot. We're getting some points, even without good players.

DON.BRENNAN@SUNMEDIA.CA