LAS VEGAS — In a thrilling matchup on Sunday night, Alex Ovechkin netted a remarkable three goals, furthering his quest to break Wayne Gretzky’s long-standing career goal record. The Washington Capitals triumphed over the Vegas Golden Knights with a final score of 5-2, showcasing a noteworthy performance from former Golden Knight Logan Thompson, who managed to make 39 saves in his return to T-Mobile Arena.
Joining Ovechkin on the scoreboard were teammates Jakob Chychrun and Jakub Vrana, both of whom contributed to the Capitals’ offensive effort. Dylan Strome and Aliaksei Protas were also key players, each providing two assists in the game. For the Golden Knights, Brett Howden and Keegan Kolesar found the net, while goaltender Ilya Samsonov made 20 saves throughout the match.
With his three-goal performance, Ovechkin reached a career total of 866 goals, positioning him just 29 goals behind Gretzky for the all-time lead in NHL history. This achievement marked Ovechkin’s 31st career hat trick and his 176th multi-goal game, placing him second only to Gretzky, who holds 189. Additionally, Ovechkin extended his impressive record of 315 power-play goals in the process.
In a sentimental moment during the first period, the Golden Knights honored Thompson with a video tribute, evoking an emotional response from the goalie who played for the team from 2021 to 2024. The atmosphere in the arena was charged, with Thompson shown tapping his heart in appreciation as the crowd gave him a warm ovation.
Despite the defeat, the Golden Knights’ head coach Bruce Cassidy is still on the brink of achieving 400 career victories, needing just one more win to reach this milestone.
Takeaway from the game highlights that Thompson is now 2-0 against his former team this season, having saved 63 of 67 shots faced. Jack Eichel, a standout player for the Golden Knights, has also been impressive, extending his point streak to six games, with a tally of two goals and ten assists during this stretch.
A pivotal moment of the match came when Ovechkin showcased his defensive prowess by thwarting a shot from Ivan Barbashev during the second period. This critical play allowed the Capitals to maintain their lead at 3-2, illustrating that his contributions extend beyond just scoring goals.
From a statistical perspective, it’s notable that the Capitals had previously struggled at T-Mobile Arena, failing to claim victory in their last six regular-season visits prior to this game. Notably, Washington had triumphed here during the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals.
Looking ahead, the Capitals will travel to Utah on Monday for the final leg of their three-game road trip, while the Golden Knights are set to head to Toronto on Wednesday, kicking off a five-game road journey of their own.