Ovechkin Inches Closer to Gretzky, Capitals on Verge of Playoff Berth
WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex Ovechkin scored his 888th career goal to continue his pursuit of the NHL record, and the Washington Capitals moved to the verge of clinching a playoff berth with a 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night.
Ovechkin beat Samuel Ersson with 5:35 left in the first period, moving eight goals away from surpassing Wayne Gretzky's career mark of 894. Chants of “Ovi! Ovi!” filled the arena as the goal counter flipped from 887 to 888.
With the win, and the Montreal Canadiens forcing overtime against the New York Islanders, the Capitals are now poised to clinch a playoff spot, becoming the first team to do so this season. Brandon Duhaime and Andrew Mangiapane also scored for Washington, while Charlie Lindgren made 27 saves. The Capitals have won eight of their last nine games to reach 100 points and overtake Winnipeg for the top spot in the standings.
The Flyers, on the other hand, have lost nine of their last 11, plummeting to last place in the Metropolitan Division. Ryan Poehling and Sean Couturier scored for Philadelphia, and Ersson allowed three goals on 16 shots.
With a comfortable lead in the Eastern Conference, the Capitals' priority over the remaining 13 games is to help Ovechkin break the record. His 888th goal came after a scramble in front of the net, with Aliaksei Protas quickly feeding Ovechkin for his 35th goal of the season.
The Capitals are on the cusp of becoming the first team since the NHL expanded to a 16-team playoff format in 1979-80 to clinch a playoff berth after being the last team to qualify the previous season.
The Flyers visit Dallas on Saturday, while the Capitals host the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers a few hours later.
