After scoring the only second-ranked NHL all-time scorer with his 802nd goal, he continued Alex Ovechkin continued his points run successfully. The Washington Capitals attacker continues to be in stellar form and is a key factor in the Capitals’ success as they look forward to some hard-hitting returnees in the near future.
On Thursday, Washington defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-2, confirming the team’s fantastic form. The Capitals were able to continue to rely on Ovechkin’s consistently strong performances. Now, after chasing Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record and surpassing Gordie Howe, the striker doesn’t take his foot off the accelerator.
Ovechkin was also one of the top scorers against the Blue Jackets. With his famous shot from the left faceoff point, in the power play, he made sure of the final score. He now stands at 29 goals this season, just one goal away from his 17th season of 30 goals or more. That would tie him with Mike Gartner for the most 30-goal seasons in NHL history.
Video: WSH@CBJ: Ovechkin extends lead in 3rd period
The goal also earned Ovechkin sole 16th place in the list of all-time NHL points-scorers. His now 1,458 points washed him past Teemu Selanne (684 goals, 773 assists).
In the past four games, Ovechkin has always scored and netted seven times. So it’s no surprise that he was also nominated for the 2023 NHL All-Star Game. The decision was announced during the match. Should Ovechkin play at Sunrise, Fla. in February, it would be the eighth All-Star appearance of his career and another opportunity to shine in front of the fans like he has in games before. In the pre-season, the superstar had to sit out at short notice due to being in COVID-19 protocol.
It is particularly noteworthy that of the 4,833 career goals that all the nominees collectively collected in the NHL, Ovechkin (809) is responsible for almost a fifth. These numbers underscore its outstanding class even further.
Accordingly, the striker’s nomination does not come as a surprise, as he is currently leading his team from success to success. In the past 15 matches, the team from the US capital was without a point only once (12-1-2).
The Capitals know how to convince, especially abroad. In the Nationwide Arena they celebrated their seventh away win in a row. Washington has not lost on foreign ice since December 5. They set a franchise record.
“That’s how we are. Now we play the way we can,” the striker tried Garnet Hathaway explain the increase in performance over the course of the season. “If you look at our away stats (10-8-3) it’s clear we were very strong there. We’re ready when we step onto foreign ice and we’re starting to fulfill our potential now.”
The Capitals would have even more options with the return of Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson. The moment when the two key attackers will once again slip into the Washington jersey does not seem far away. With the two exceptional talents in the lineup, the Capitals would blossom into a serious title contender overnight.
By catching up, Washington was already in an excellent position to fight for a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They are currently fourth in the Metropolitan Division, tied with the New York Rangers on 50 points and just one point behind the New Jersey Devils in second place.
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The fight for the top positions in the division continues on Friday evening (7 pm ET; NHL.tv; Sat. 1 pm CET). Then the Capitals meet the Nashville Predators at home, who should have gained a lot of self-confidence with two successes in a row. It is all the more important for Washington that the team goes into the match recovered. “It was good that it wasn’t too tight today,” he said T.J. Oshie the meaning. “Ovechkin didn’t have to play 22 minutes or even more as a result. We should be fresh for tomorrow.”