Ovechkin hits 600 goals, Capitals beat Jets in OT
WASHINGTON — Alex Ovechkin scored twice to reach 600 goals and Evgeny Kuznetsov had the overtime winner as the Washington Capitals returned to first place by beating the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 on Monday.
Ovechkin scored in each of the first two periods to get to 42 this season. The Russian winger became the 20th player and fourth-fastest in NHL history to 600 goals and is on pace to lead the league in goals for the seventh time.
Kuznetsov made it a night of celebration for Washington by scoring on a breakaway 4:11 into overtime.
Ovechkin’s historic performance was crucial on a night when Jets winger Patrik Laine scored his 16th in the past 12 games to get to 41 this season. Nikolaj Ehlers also scored a 4-on-4 goal for Winnipeg, which got 40 saves from Connor Hellebuyck.
Capitals goaltender Philipp Grubauer stopped 26 shots in his third consecutive start.
The anticipated showdown between the NHL’s top goal scorers lived up to its billing from the drop of the puck. “Excited to play hockey” against the team he grew up rooting for, Laine skated with the confidence he has exhibited throughout his recent run.
But it was Ovechkin who struck first. With the Capitals on a 5-on-3 power play, Ovechkin settled the puck and fired a wrist shot past Hellebuyck 4:35 into the game. Just 58 seconds later, an inexplicable turnover by Washington’s Lars Eller put the puck on Ehlers’ stick for the tying score.
At the 5:33 mark of the second period, Ovechkin got three chances at the side of the net and put a rebound past a sprawling Hellebuyck to become just the fourth player in history to score 600 in under 1,000 games.
Marc-Andre Fleury made 38 saves to become the 13th goalie in NHL history with 400 wins, and Ryan Carpenter scored the winning goal with 2:40 left to lead Vegas over Philadelphia on the road. Jimmy Vesey scored three times, Mats Zuccarello had two goals and New York beat Carolina at home. Matt Duchene and Magnus Paajarvi each scored twice to lead Ottawa over Florida on the road. The Arizona Coyotes granted head coach Rick Tocchet a leave of absence while he deals with a family illness. Coyotes general manager John Chayka said assistant coach John MacLean will assume the head coaching responsibilities until Tocchet returns.