Ovechkin reaches 51 goals in rout of Lightning
TAMPA, Fla. — Alex Ovechkin scored his 50th and 51st goals of the season, leading the Washington Capitals to a 6-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night.
Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie also scored twice and Braden Holtby made 25 saves to help the defending champion Capitals win their fourth in a row.
Ovechkin reached the 50-goal mark for the eighth time in his career. Only Mike Bossy and Wayne Gretzky, who each did it nine times, have scored 50 goals in more seasons in NHL history. Ovechkin has 657 goals to move past Brenden Shanahan for 13th in the NHL history. ISLANDERS 5, SABRES 1: In Uniondale, N.Y., Jordan Eberle continued his scoring surge with another goal, Anthony Beauvillier added two of his own and New York beat Buffalo to clinch a playoff berth for the first time since 2016.
Michael Dal Colle and Ryan Pulock also scored for the Islanders. They have 99 points in their first season under coach Barry Trotz and secured a postseason spot in March for the first time since 1990.
The Islanders have won four of their last five games.
Buffalo’s Victor Olofsson spoiled Robin Lehner’s shutout bid with his first NHL goal on the power play at 13:28 of the third period. Lehner made 31 saves.
PANTHERS 4, BRUINS 1: In Boston, Troy Brouwer scored a short-handed goal, Roberto Luongo stopped 30 shots and Florida beat Boston to end the Bruins’ home winning streak at 12.
Evgenii Dadonov scored twice and Riley Sheahan added a goal for Florida. Eliminated from playoff contention, the Panthers have won two straight.
The Bruins have already clinched a playoff berth and will most likely open the postseason at home against Toronto.
BLUES 3, DEVILS 2 (OT): In Newark, N.J., defenseman Vince Dunn scored in close with 2.8 seconds left in overtime as St. Louis beat New Jersey.
Robert Thomas and Tyler Bozak also scored for the Blues, and Jake Allen made 25 saves.
BLUE JACKETS 5, PREDATORS 2: In Nashville, Tenn., Cam Atkinson scored twice and Artemi Panarin had four assists to lead Columbus past Nashville.
David Savard, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Boone Jenner also had goals, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 23 saves for Columbus.
CANADIENS 3, JETS 1: In Winnipeg, Manitoba, Joel Armia, Jeff Petry and Jordan Weal scored as Montreal beat Winnipeg to improve its playoff hopes.
SENATORS 4, MAPLE LEAFS 2: In Ottawa, Ontario, Anthony Duclair scored twice and Craig Anderson made 42 saves to help last-place Ottawa beat Toronto.
Toronto missed a chance to clinch a playoff berth, falling to 3-5-2 in its last 10.
HURRICANES 5, FLYERS 2: In Raleigh, N.C., Teuvo Teravainen and Dougie Hamilton scored 21 seconds apart in the first period as Carolina beat Philadelphia to boost its playoff hopes and eliminate the Flyers from contention. SHARKS 4, GOLDEN KNIGHTS 3 (OT):
In San Jose, Calif., Brent Burns scored 22 seconds into overtime to lead San Jose past Vegas.