WASHINGTON — Alex Ovechkin netted the decisive goal in the third period, marking his 861st career tally as the Washington Capitals triumphed over the Nashville Predators with a score of 3-2 on Wednesday evening.

Ovechkin found the back of the net with just 9:35 remaining in the game, registering his eighth goal of the current season, which ties him with teammate Connor McMichael for the team’s scoring lead. The veteran forward is now only 34 goals shy of surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goals record and appears to be on track to achieve this milestone by the end of the season.

Alongside Ovechkin, McMichael and Aliaksei Protas also contributed to the scoreboard for the Capitals, who have secured victories in nine of their first twelve contests. Goaltender Logan Thompson showcased an impressive performance, making 33 saves and maintaining a perfect record of 6-0-0 in his six appearances with Washington.

The Predators, on the other hand, faced continued struggles despite Juuse Saros stopping 33 shots and receiving goals from Juuso Parssinen and Steven Stamkos. Nashville’s record now sits at 4-8-1, following a significant free agency investment that brought in Stamkos, 2023 playoff MVP Jonathan Marchessault, and defenseman Brady Skjei, costing over $100 million combined.

Observations from the game reveal that Predators’ coach Andrew Brunette expressed his frustration regarding his team’s offensive struggles, noting the repeated near-misses that came from hitting goalposts and the crossbar.

For the Capitals, Matt Roy made his comeback from an injury sustained in the season opener, contributing with an assist in his 20:07 of ice time.

A critical moment unfolded when officials disallowed a potential Nashville goal with 7:47 left on the clock due to goaltender interference. Brunette opted to challenge the call, but the decision was upheld, placing the Predators on a two-minute penalty kill during a crucial time when they needed to strategize for an equalizer.

In a noteworthy highlight, Dylan Strome’s setup for Ovechkin’s goal marked Strome’s 200th career assist. Remarkably, only two players in the league currently have more than Strome’s 15 assists this season.

Looking ahead, the Predators will be facing the Florida Panthers in the second game of their back-to-back schedule on Thursday night, while the Capitals prepare to host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday.