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Alex Ovechkin records hat trick in Capitals win over Red Wings

By Michael Marzzacco

DETROIT, MI - NOVEMBER 30: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals pounds gloves with teammates on the bench following his third goal of the game during the third period of an NHL game against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena on November 30, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. The Capitals defeated the Wings 5-2. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - NOVEMBER 30: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals pounds gloves with teammates on the bench following his third goal of the game during the third period of an NHL game against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena on November 30, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. The Capitals defeated the Wings 5-2. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Washington Capitals left winger Alex Ovechkin notched a hat trick and four points in a 5-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night.

It took two empty net goals but a hat trick is a hat trick and Alex Ovechkin notched another one against the Detroit Red Wings. After recording one last year the Washington Capitals star has two in his last three games against the Red Wings.

The Caps had to go on the kill twice in the early going. After killing their first penalty they went back on the kill at 11:20 when Dmitry Orlov went to the box for tripping.

27 seconds later the Red Wings struck first with Robby Fabbri scoring his sixth goal of the season. 1-0 was the score after 20 with the Caps having the edge in shots 12-9.

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The Caps went on the power play early in the second at 1:10 with Dylan Larkin getting called for hooking Garnet Hathaway.

The Caps would equalize the score at 2:19 with T.J. Oshie‘s one timer shot from the front of the net for his 11th goal of the season. Jakub Vrana and Evgeny Kuznetsov had the helpers.

At 9:21 the Caps took the lead with Alex Ovechkin going around the net for the score. John Carlson and Evgeny Kuznetsov had the assists. 2-1 would be the score after two with the Caps outshooting the Red Wings 13-5.

Hanging on to a 2-1 lead, the Red Wings kept pressure but Ilya Samsonov stood tall. Samsonov got the start Saturday after Braden Holtby got the nod the day before.

Tom Wilson gave the Capitals an insurance goal with 5:37 to go with a backhanded glide in front of the net for his 10th of the season. Ovechkin and Kuznetsov had the assists.

That insurance goal was significant because the Red Wings answered almost immediately after. Nine seconds later it was Luke Glendening to pull Detroit within one. The Red Wings pulled their goalie for an extra attacker in hopes of tying the score.

Ovechkin had other ideas. Radko Gudas pounced on a loose puck, got it to Oshie who kicked it out to Ovechkin for the empty net finish. Ovechkin later stole the puck and used one hand for his second empty net goal of the night to complete the hat trick.

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The Caps were outshot 13-9 in the final period but had the edge in shots 34-27 overall. Samsonov made 25 saves for a .926 save percentage. The Caps will take on the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night in California.

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