With Evgeny Kuznetsov ailing, rookie Travis Boyd received a huge opportunity to center the first line of Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson. The move paid off.

A fantastic individual play by the longtime Hershey Bear led to the Capitals first goal of the game. Alex Ovechkin scored the goal. It was Ovechkin’s 43rd of the season and 601st of his career. The Russian machine is now tied with Jari Kurri for 19th all time in goals.

The assist was Boyd’s first career NHL point.

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Nice moves, @Tboyd93! #CapsFlyers #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/sjy4FNZGR7

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 18, 2018

The play started as Boyd carried the puck into the zone on his backhand. Boyd stickhandled through two Flyers defenders before pivoting and throwing a blind backhand pass to Ovechkin crashing the net. The Great 8 would tip the puck past Petr Mrazek to tie the game 1-1.

After the goal, a geeking-out Ovechkin pointed at Boyd, celebrating the prospect’s first NHL point. The laughing and giggling continued at the bench. Yet, the goal was another huge milestone for Ovechkin.

Kurri, who congratulated Ovechkin making the 600 club, won five Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers. The nine-time All-Star led the NHL in goals in 1985-86 after scoring 68 goals.

Alex Ovechkin ties the game at one apiece. That's his 43rd of the season, which leads the NHL, and his 601st of his career, which ties Jari Kurri for 19th on the NHL's all-time goals list.

— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) March 18, 2018

It’ll be interesting to see what they do with the goal puck with both players sharing in on milestones.

Somewhere Evgeny Kuznetsov is frowning and stomping.

Kuznetsov welcoming Ovechkin back to DC after that Boyd pass pic.twitter.com/SB2OWeRPpb

— sporps outsider (@OVECHKlN) March 18, 2018

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