Alex Ovechkin scored the 884th aim of his NHL profession late within the Washington Capitals’ 3-1 loss to the red-hot Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, shifting 10 away from tying Wayne Gretzky’s file.
Ovechkin beat fellow Russian Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning with 4 minutes left within the third interval after getting stopped twice by him earlier.
“He’s the perfect goal-scorer for a motive,” Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh stated. “You give him one little further area there, he places it dwelling.”
Ovechkin’s thirty first aim of the season is his twelfth in 22 video games towards Vasilevskiy. He is now on tempo to interrupt the file in early April.
“He’s clearly feeling it proper now with the best way he’s been scoring,” Tampa Bay captain Victor Hedman stated. “Vasy did some unreal saves, however he’s going to get his possibilities. He’s arguably the most effective goal-scorers of all time, so he will get these possibilities within the slot, it’s powerful to avoid wasting these.”
Regardless of the 39-year-old scoring, the Jap Convention-leading Capitals misplaced a 3rd consecutive recreation for the primary time this season.
“Ending and getting on the board was big, however I nonetheless assume it’s going to get higher,” coach Spencer Carbery stated. “O is ending at an actual excessive charge popping out of the break. I believe his play, chemistry and the entire product of our group — whether or not that’s his line or the facility play — will proceed to enhance. I’m hopeful of that.”
With Ovechkin closing in on passing Gretzky however nonetheless double digits away, Lightning coach Jon Cooper stated earlier than the sport, “If he breaks the file tonight, then we did one thing improper.”
Ovechkin didn’t fairly do this, however he nonetheless took one other step nearer to creating hockey historical past.
“That’s why he’s acquired 800-plus of them,” Cooper stated afterward. “He is aware of what to do when he’s in that spot.”
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