WASHINGTON — The Islanders misplaced in an eight-round shootout to the Capitals on Tuesday, however that’s not what will probably be remembered from the evening.
Alex Ovechkin scored his 767th aim to cross Jaromir Jagr for third on the NHL profession record, and he was surrounded by his Capitals teammates whereas followers roared in approval. Chants of “Ovi! Ovi!” stuffed what has been his residence enviornment for nearly twenty years, they usually returned after a 4-3 victory towards the Islanders that noticed Anthony Mantha rating the winner within the eighth spherical of the shootout after Anders Lee tied the sport with lower than two minutes to play to pressure extra time.
Ovechkin’s aim to maneuver behind solely legends Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howie capped a turbulent stretch for the longtime Russia-born captain and the face of the Stanley Cup-winning hockey franchise within the U.S. capital. Amid his residence nation’s invasion of Ukraine ordered by Vladimir Putin, whom he has lengthy supported, and along with his spouse and kids caught again residence in Russia, Ovechkin received a quick likelihood on the ice to soak within the largest particular person accomplishment of his profession.
“It’s been robust, however we’re athletes and we simply must do our job and focus in on the factor what we’re doing greatest,” Ovechkin mentioned. “We simply play hockey and luxuriate in our second.”
Ovechkin’s second got here with 4:58 left within the third interval when countryman Evgeny Kuznetsov gained a faceoff to place the puck on his good good friend’s stick. Ovechkin beat one other good good friend in Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov to lastly break a tie with Jagr, whose unproductive Capitals tenure from 2001-04 made him unpopular amongst Washington followers.
The 36-year-old from Moscow has had no such points at residence, even since Putin invaded Ukraine final month. Booed at instances throughout a visit throughout western Canada, Ovechkin received a standing ovation from Capitals followers who've cheered for him and chanted his title all through his 17-year profession in North America.
The following vital milestone for Ovechkin is No. 800 —a plateau solely Gretzky and Howe have reached in hockey historical past. Ovechkin wants 35 objectives to cross Howe and 128 to interrupt Gretzky’s document of 894 that was lengthy considered unapproachable.
Ovechkin scored within the shadow of the Capitals’ 2018 Stanley Cup banner with Barry Trotz standing on the visiting bench. Trotz coached Washington to their first title in franchise historical past, and Ovechkin was playoff MVP.
“The one factor that I’ve realized about Ovi over my time is that whenever you doubt Ovi otherwise you say he can’t do it, he digs in,” Trotz mentioned.
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