Ovechkin gets NHL-leading goal, Caps win
Alex Ovechkin scored his league-leading 27th goal of the season, Tom Wilson scored in overtime and the Washington Capitals beat the Winnipeg Jets 4-3 Tuesday night.
Wilson’s goal 26 seconds into the 3-on-3 OT gave the Capitals their first victory in that situation this season. They lost their previous seven games decided after regulation but before a shootout.
Washington needed overtime at home after Pierre-Luc Dubois tied it with 1:05 left. Vitek Vanecek stopped 30 of the 33 shots he faced, rebounding from allowing two goals in the opening minutes.
Ovechkin sparked the comeback after being visibly angry when the Capitals fell behind 2-0. Washington’s longtime captain scored on a perfect shot past 2020 Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender Connor Hellebuyck on a 2-on-1 rush. With the goal, Ovechkin broke a tie atop the NHL with Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl.
CANUCKS 3, PREDATORS 1 >> Thatcher Demko made 31 saves to lead Vancouver over skidding Nashville. Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser and Juho Lammikko scored in Vancouver’s second consecutive victory. The win ended the Canucks’ stretch of nine straight road games on a high note. Vancouver last played at home Dec. 14. Nashville has lost four in a row. HURRICANES 7, BRUINS 1 >> Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored twice during Carolina’s five-goal first period, Jaccob Slavin added a goal and two assists after a two-game absence, and the Hurricanes snapped Boston’s five-game winning streak.
SABRES 3, SENATORS 1 >> Michael Houser made 43 saves in his season debut and Buffalo won at Ottawa. Houser became the sixth goalie to start a game for Buffalo this season. Mark Jankowski, Dylan Cozens and Alex Tuch scored for the Sabres. ISLANDERS 4, FLYERS 3 >> Oliver Wahlstrom scored in the ninth round of a shootout to lift New York to victory and send host Philadelphia to its ninth straight loss.