Alex Ovechkin is closing in on the NHL’s all-time goal record. Before that, he will reach another milestone in his storied career, and it could come as soon as the Washington Capitals’ Friday home game against the Detroit Red Wings.
The 39-year-old forward needs one point to hit 1,600 for his career. Ovechkin scored his 885th goal on Wednesday during Washington’s 3-2 road victory over the New York Rangers. He is now nine goals shy of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record.
“Just try to do my best and try to do my job,” Ovechkin said.
His teammates draw energy from Ovechkin’s individual achievements.
“I think our bench, everyone kind of jumps through the roof whenever he finds the back of the net, which is fitting because he’s always the most excited guy on the ice when anybody else scores,” forward Tom Wilson said. “Whenever he scores, obviously everybody in the hockey world is pretty excited right now. Happy for him and proud how he’s carrying himself and doing such a great job.”
Ovechkin’s latest goal came on a power play midway through the third period and tied the game at 2-2. That gave him 32 goals in 46 games this season.
“He seems to score every time on a big stage in a big moment,” Washington defenseman John Carlson said.
Wilson scored the overtime winner as the Capitals continued to separate themselves from the Eastern Conference pack. Seven points clear of the field, they are well on their way to the top seed in the conference playoffs despite a three-game losing streak last week that preceded a shootout win over the Ottawa Senators and the OT victory against the Rangers.
Ovechkin scored in the first meeting between the Capitals and Red Wings this season on Dec. 29, but Detroit came away with a 4-2 home win. Alex DeBrincat led the way with two goals.
The Red Wings are desperate for a victory, as they are on a four-game losing streak. They fell at home 4-2 to the Utah Hockey Club on Thursday night despite a 40-19 advantage in shots on goal.
“Just can’t find a win,” team captain Dylan Larkin said. “We’ve lost not playing well and we’ve lost playing well. We’re losing in different ways. You look at the big picture and kind of zoom out a little bit — it’s four games and we’ve got a chance (Friday) night to right the ship and get that win and hopefully build confidence from there.”
Larkin and Jonatan Berggren scored first-period goals on Thursday, but the Red Wings couldn’t find the back of the net in the last two periods. Utah scored twice in the third off what Detroit coach Todd McLellan described as “broken plays.”
“Sometimes I think (our players) care too much and they tighten up. They’re afraid to swing the bat, if you will,” he said. “It’s not a bad thing because they’re into it, there’s passion on the bench and there’s a lot of self-frustration that comes out.”
It was a frustrating NHL debut for Detroit’s Carter Mazur. The 22-year-old forward sustained an upper-body injury on his second shift and did not return. He won’t make the trip to D.C.
–Field Level Media
