WASHINGTON — In a thrilling match Tuesday evening, Alex Ovechkin made headlines by netting his 855th and 856th career goals within a span of less than two minutes, leading the Washington Capitals to a 5-3 victory over the New York Rangers. The game exemplified the excitement of the sport, filled with action and intensity from start to finish.
With these two goals, Ovechkin now stands just 38 goals shy of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL record. Both of his goals came during a fast-paced beginning to the game, which featured seven scores within the first 25 minutes. The atmosphere was electric as Matt Rempe returned to the Rangers lineup and quickly found himself in a fight against Dylan McIlrath, rallying both sets of fans with this display of energy.
Capitals supporters left the arena in high spirits as their team secured another win, maintaining their strong start to the season. Key contributors included Connor McMichael, who scored for the fourth time this season, and Aliaksei Protas, who not only tallied his second goal but also provided two assists, ending the night with three points. Goaltender Logan Thompson made 16 saves, while Nic Dowd put the finishing touch on the game with an empty-net goal just 35.8 seconds from the final buzzer.
Despite the loss, Igor Shesterkin was notable in goal for the Rangers, making 41 saves on 45 shots, showcasing his skill while facing relentless pressure. New York found the net with efforts from Will Cuylle shortly after Ovechkin’s first goal, Chris Kreider on a power play, and Filip Chytil via deflection, though they ultimately fell short in supporting Shesterkin adequately.
In a concerning development for the Capitals, defenseman Jakob Chychrun exited the game early after suffering an upper-body injury.
**Key Takeaways**
For the Rangers, center Mika Zibanejad appears to be struggling as his ice time diminishes, indicating something isn’t quite right with his performance. On the Capitals’ side, Ovechkin, even at 39, shows no signs of slowing down and is currently on track to potentially tie Gretzky’s record by the end of the season.
**Key Moment**
A pivotal point in the match was when Ovechkin found the back of the net just 5:10 into the opening period with a shot that left Shesterkin with no opportunity to respond, establishing a lead for the Capitals that they would not relinquish.
**Key Stat**
Washington has not managed to score on the last 20 power plays but has still managed to secure victories in five of their last six games despite this shortfall.
**Upcoming Games**
Looking ahead, the Rangers will kick off a three-game homestand on Friday night against Ottawa, while the Capitals will host Montreal on Thursday evening as they continue their own homestand.