OTTAWA, Ontario — In an exciting encounter on Thursday night, Alex Ovechkin sealed a 1-0 win for the Washington Capitals against the Ottawa Senators with a goal scored 1:53 into overtime.
Ovechkin’s latest goal marked the 874th of his illustrious career, bringing him closer to the legendary Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record by just 20 goals. In a notable achievement, he surpassed a league record by scoring against his 179th different goaltender, surpassing the previous mark held by Jaromir Jagr, who had scored against 178 netminders.
The 39-year-old left winger received a pass from Rasmus Sandin during a 2-on-1 break and swiftly shot the puck past rookie goalie Leevi Merilainen, who put in an impressive performance with 26 saves.
Meanwhile, Logan Thompson, the Capitals’ goaltender, earned his second straight shutout, stopping 24 shots throughout the game. Both goalies showcased their skills, as scoring opportunities were scarce for either team during the regulation time.
The Senators had a notable chance in the third period with Andrew Mangiapane during Washington’s only power play, but the rookie Merilainen made the save. His halt against Tom Wilson in overtime ignited cheers from the crowd eager to celebrate his efforts.
Ottawa struggled to capitalize on its power-play opportunities, finishing 0-for-3 in this game, which added to a disappointing 2-for-15 record over their past five matches.
Throughout the second period, the Capitals managed only a single shot for the first 16 minutes before awakening with four shots in the final 3.5 minutes.
Key takeaways from the game highlighted Ottawa native Donovan Sebrango’s NHL debut for the Senators, celebrated by a supportive group of family and friends in attendance. Additionally, Winger Michael Amadio returned to the team after an extended absence since December 21.
For Washington, starting slow did not deter them; they began to create more scoring opportunities as the third period progressed.
A pivotal moment of the match was Ovechkin’s overtime goal, which prompted jubilant celebrations from his teammates. This goal marked the 27th overtime goal of his career, setting a league-record—Sidney Crosby follows him with 22 overtime goals.
A noteworthy statistic indicated that three players—Brady Tkachuk and Josh Norris from Ottawa, along with Wilson from Washington—were the only ones in the NHL this season to have recorded both over 15 goals and more than 100 hits.
Looking ahead, Washington will host the Pittsburgh Penguins, while Ottawa is set to face the Boston Bruins on Saturday.