In his 1,000th career game playing alongside Nicklas Backstrom, Alex Ovechkin put on a show with two goals to tie Jaromir Jagr for third place on the NHL’s all time goal scoring list in last night’s 5-4 Washington Capitals win over the Calgary Flames.
Elias Lindholm put the Flames up 1-0 at 9:40 in the opening period. 1-0 was the score after 20 with shots even at nine apiece. The Caps just couldn’t take advantage of any chances as they got off to a slow start.
They would come back though and over these last three games they look like the Caps team that was there in the early part of the season: red hot. But first they had to come back from a 2-0 hole as Adam Ruzicka doubled their lead.
The Caps would begin the comeback thanks to Conor Sheary, who’s been hot lately with a four game point streak with four goals and two assists. Sheary had a good look right up the middle on a long rebound off the blockers for his 15th goal of the season.
Speaking of red hot, how bout Ovechkin? He scored for the third straight game and he always heats up whenever he’s got a milestone in his sights. First he delivered a punishing hit along the boards, then as Evgeny Kuznetsov got the puck he slightly tapped it to Ovechkin for the finish to tie the game.
2-2 was the score after two with the Flames leading in shots 15-7. The Flames took the lead with a goal at 3:45 from Oliver Kylington. The Caps would tie it with Anthony Mantha’s third goal of the season in his third game back in the lineup since getting shoulder surgery in early November. Backstrom and Nick Jensen had the helpers.
The Caps would take the lead at 11:50 as Nic Dowd pounced on a loose puck and ripped it in for his eighth of the season. It was assisted by Axel Jonsson-Fjallby and Jensen. Ovechkin would put the game away with an empty net goal at 18:12 for his 36th of the season and 766th of his career to tie him with Jagr. It was assisted by Tom Wilson and Jensen.
At 19:20 the Flames got one back from Lindholm but it wasn’t enough as the Caps won 5-4. Vitek Vanecek made 31 saves on 35 shots.
The Caps will be back in action tonight against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers. Puck drop is at 8 p.m. on TNT.