WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex Ovechkin tied Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record by scoring the 893rd and 894th of his career, the second being the game winner, as the Washington Capitals rallied to beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-3 on Friday night.
Ovechkin scored No. 894 on the power play with 13:47 left in regulation to put Washington ahead after Dylan Strome tied it earlier in the third period. The 39-year-old Russian superstar also opened the scoring with his 893rd less than four minutes in.
It all came with Gretzky in attendance for the first time during this chase. He should be there Sunday at the New York Islanders when Ovechkin has his next chance to make hockey history.
Martin Fehervary also scored and Charlie Lindgren, playing because No. 1 goaltender Logan Thompson is out with injury, made 19 saves to help the Eastern Conference and Metropolitan Division-leading Capitals win for just the second time in six games. Ryan Leonard scored his first career goal into an empty net with 1:36 left to seal it.
Tyler Bertuzzi, Frank Nazar and Philipp Kurashev scored for the last-place Blackhawks, and Spencer Knight allowed four goals on 28 shots.
RED WINGS 5, HURRICANES 3
DETROIT (AP) — Ben Chiarot and Marco Kasper scored 26 seconds apart in the first period and Detroit held on for a victory over Carolina.
Patrick Kane, Michael Rasmussen and Alex DeBrincat also scored for Detroit. Dylan Larkin added two assists and Cam Talbot made 30 saves as the Red Wings preserved their chances for a playoff berth.
Jackson Blake, Eric Robinson and Brent Burns scored for the Hurricanes, who saw their three-game winning streak snapped. Pyotr Kochetkov made 16 saves.
Seth Jarvis extended his point streak to six games by assisting on Blake’s goal. Justin Robidas assisted on Robinson’s goal for his first career point.
DeBrincat’s last-second empty-netter clinched the Red Wings’ win. Carolina defeated Detroit twice last month.
ISLANDERS 3, WILD 1
NEW YORK (AP) — Noah Dobson had a goal and an assist, and New York beat Minnesota to snap a six-game losing streak.
Casey Cizikas and Simon Holmstrom also scored for New York, while Ilya Sorokin made 27 saves. The Islanders are looking to finish the season strong with seven games remaining.
Mats Zuccarello scored for Minnesota, and Filip Gustavsson made 24 saves in the Wild’s fourth straight loss.
Holmstrom gave the Islanders a 2-1 lead when his pass deflected off Frederick Gaudreau’s right skate and past Gustavsson at 4:02 of the second period.
Dobson’s power-play goal at 3:36 of the third gave the Islanders a two-goal advantage.
The Associated Press
