Washington Capitals: Top 3 key players to watch against Isles

#1 Alex Ovechkin

After being held off the scoresheet, Alex Ovechkin will be looking for a big game tonight against his former coach. Ovechkin has 18 goals this season including 10 goals in his last 10 games. Ovechkin’s 18 goals this season are tied for sixth in the NHL, trailing Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs by five goals for the league lead through games played March 30.

14 of Ovechkin’s 18 goals this season have come at even strength. That is tied for fourth in the NHL through games played March 30. Ovechkin ranks third in the NHL in goals per 60 minutes of five on five play with 1.68 among skaters with at least 10 games played this season.

Ovechkin is now eight goals shy of surpassing Marcel Dionne (731) for fifth place all time on the NHL’s goal scoring list. After Ovechkin had a slow start to the season with part of that season in quarantine, the great eight has heated up down the stretch at the right time as the Caps look to keep their foot on first place in the division.

Those are our top 3 players to watch tonight when the Caps take on the New York Islanders at Nassau Coliseum. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. on NBC Sports Washington.