Raptors’ COVID-19 issues worsen
Scores 713th career goal to break tie, helps Samsonov get win in return to the ice
The Raptors’ issues with the coronavirus have worsened, prompting the NBA to call off their game scheduled for Sunday against the Bulls. The league said the Raptors are dealing with positive test results, without disclosing how many, and that combined with ongoing contact tracing issues meant they wouldn’t have the league-required eight players available to play. The Raptors played Friday without coach Nick Nurse, several assistants and staffers and forward Pascal Siakam because of virus-related issues. The Raptors-Bulls game was the 30th to be postponed so far this season because of COVID-19 testing or contact tracing. It was the first postponement this season for the Raptors, who are playing their home games in Tampa, Florida, because of coronavirus restrictions in Canada. The only teams that have not had a game postponed by virus issues so far this season are the Nets, Clippers and the Lakers. About half the league’s teams are allowing a small number of fans into arenas for games, but testing protocols and other rules have been stiffened as the season has gone on in the interest of safety. The league has been able to play about 94% of its scheduled games so far this season.
NEWARK, N.J. — Alex Ovechkin calmly skated down the left side of the ice on an odd-man rush during the second period Sunday against the New Jersey Devils. The Washington Capitals’ captain corralled center Lars Eller’s pass with his left skate, then kicked the puck to himself as he drove to the high slot.
Ovechkin ripped a shot to the top left corner past Devils goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood, nonchalantly scoring the deciding goal in the Capitals’ 3-2 win. Ovechkin broke his goal drought, finding the net for only the second time in nine games, and he was reserved in celebration, taking subtle fist bumps from his teammates in the corner.
The tiebreaking goal 13:37 into the second period gave Washington (12-5-4, 28 points) its third consecutive win and completed a sweep of New Jersey (7-82, 16) in a weekend set of back-to-back games. The Capitals are now 6-1-1 in their past eight games, and they will travel to Boston for two more games as their fivegame road trip continues.
Ovechkin looked determined from the start Sunday, and he finished with a game-high 10 shot attempts. His 713th career goal leaves him four behind Phil Esposito for sixth in NHL history.
“I thought he was on his game right away,” Capitals Coach Peter Laviolette said. “He was hard-charging. He was skating. He was looking to find lanes. He was looking to bring pucks to the net, and when that happens good things will happen. So I thought he was strong from start to finish.”
Ovechkin’s game-winner helped Capitals goaltender Ilya Samsonov earn the victory in his first NHL appearance in six weeks. Samsonov spent about three weeks on the league’s covid-19 list after his last start Jan. 17, then has been eased back into action with four conditioning starts with the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League. Samsonov looked rusty early on Sunday, allowing two goals on the first 10 shots his faced before finishing with 19 saves.
“I think for him it was a very important game mentally,” Ovechkin said. “We tried to do our best blocking shots and play smart in the D-zone. For a kid who didn’t play lots of games, to get a start right away and get a win, it’s very important. We’re all happy for him.”
After the Capitals dominated play in front of him in the opening several minutes, Samsonov allowed the first goal of the game 6:45 into the first period, when New Jersey’s Mikhail Maltsev beat him short-side with a long-range wrister from the top of the right faceoff circle. Replays showed the puck elevated after it deflected off defenseman Dmitry Orlov’s stick, making it a more challenging play for Samonsov than it initially appeared.
After the Capitals scored the next two goals, Yegor Sharangovich beat Samsonov 3:20 into the second period, using a screen from defenseman Nick Jensen as Jensen tried to stay with the young center as he barreled into the offensive zone.
From there, Samsonov was unblemished for the rest of the way.
“I thought he got stronger as the game went on,” Laviolette said. “... In the third period, he made some really key saves for our team, which allowed us to walk out with the points. So overall it was a good day for him.”
Offensively, the Capitals got production from their top forwards even as they played without center Evgeny Kuznetsov, who missed his second straight game with an upper-body injury. Kuznetsov remains day-to-day after he was a late scratch before Saturday’s game.