The Washington Capitals welcomed the Chicago Blackhawks to Capital One Area on Friday evening with all eyes squarely pointed towards Washington’s Captain, Alex Ovechkin, as he entered the competition three objectives shy of setting a brand new all-time objectives document. With the present document holder, Wayne Gretzky, current in Washington, D.C., Ovechkin’s two objectives rewarded ticket holders with a legendary scene because the Capitals battled the Blackhawks to a 5-3 victory.
Ovechkin’s fortieth purpose of the season represented the opening rating of the competition. Washington’s celebrity acquired a move from Dylan Strome earlier than Ovechkin’s wrist shot collided with each posts and bounced into the web behind Chicago’s goalie, Spencer Knight. The purpose got here 3:52 into the primary interval, and the ensuing buzz within the crowd endured for the rest of the interval. The primary-period tally was Ovechkin’s 242nd profession first-period purpose, passing Gretzky for many in NHL historical past. In response to NHL.com Live Stats, Ovechkin is simply the second participant age 39 or older to attain 40 objectives in a season. Gordie Howe scored 44 objectives in 1968-69 at age 40.
Ten minutes after Washington’s opening tally, Blackhawks winger Tyler Bertuzzi tied the sport at one. He was the beneficiary of an excellent cycle play, which was adopted by a fortuitous bounce along side the web that allowed Landon Slaggert to slip the puck throughout the crease to Bertuzzi to dunk into the web for the Blackhawks’ first purpose of the sport. The sport entered the primary intermission tied at one.
Chicago’s Frank Nazar unlocked the tie with a purpose 31 seconds into the second interval. The 21-year-old winger situated some open house within the offensive zone and acquired a move from newcomer Oliver Moore earlier than Nazar fired a snapshot that beat Washington’s Charlie Lindgren for a 2-1 Blackhawks lead. Moore recorded the first help on the purpose for his first NHL level in his third skilled sport.
Capitals defenseman Martin Fehervary tied the sport on the 7:09 mark of the center body on a wrist shot that trickled via Knight and throughout the skinny pink line. Defense partner John Carlson picked up an help on the purpose for his second level of the night. The longtime Capital blueliner tied Mathieu Schneider for sixth all-time together with his 158th profession multi-point sport. Mark Howe could be the subsequent title on the listing with 183 multi-point video games.
The Blackhawks interrupted the occasion ambiance as soon as once more with a Philipp Kurashev purpose 10 seconds after Fehervary’s rating for a 3-2 Chicago lead on the 7:19 mark of the second interval. Kurashev stuffed a free rebound previous Lindgren after the Capitals goalie made the cease on a Slaggert deflection however couldn’t management the rebound. Chicago entered the second intermission holding a 3-2 benefit.
Washington tied the sport at three on an personal purpose from Chicago’s Connor Murphy after the defenseman whacked a bouncing puck previous his personal netminder early within the third interval. Dylan Strome was credited together with his twenty fifth purpose of the season on the play. The 28-year-old ahead continues so as to add to a career-high 75 factors in 76 video games throughout his third season with the Capitals.
Three minutes later, Ovechkin raised the Capital One Area crowd to its toes once more with a basic one-timer purpose from his energy play workplace for his forty first purpose of the season and a 4-3 Washington lead. Along with his 894th regular-season purpose, he tied Gretzky for probably the most all-time in NHL regular-season historical past in a single fewer sport performed at 1,486 NHL video games. Whereas Ovechkin tied Gretzky together with his purpose tonight, he broke a tie with former teammate Jaromir Jagr for the most game-winning goals with 136.
Associated: Alex Ovechkin Scores Aim No. 894, Tying Wayne Gretzky’s File
Ovechkin had one late likelihood to interrupt Gretzky’s document on a breakaway, however Washington’s star was unable to get a shot off towards Knight late within the third interval. Ryan Leonard sealed the sport with an empty-net purpose for his first NHL purpose in entrance of the sport’s most legendary goalscorers. Washington received its forty ninth sport of the season and improved to 105 factors this season to maintain tempo with the Winnipeg Jets (108 factors) and Dallas Stars (104) within the NHL Presidents’ Trophy race for the 2024-25 season.
Ovechkin’s subsequent likelihood to interrupt Gretzky’s goal-scoring document comes this weekend. On Sunday afternoon, Washington visits the New York Islanders at UBS Area at 12:30 pm EST as Ovechkin can have his eyes set on claiming one of many NHL’s most immortal data. Washington has six video games remaining within the 2024-25 NHL season.
