The Washington Capitals bested the New Jersey Devils 5-3 at Capital One Arena, wrapping up the 2017-18 regular season and now will move onto the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. There they will meet the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The two teams recorded 26 shots apiece, but the Caps had the edge in five-on-five shot attempts 52 to 42.

• Alex Ovechkin scored his 48th and 49th goals of the season and came just shy of yet another 50-goal campaign. Ovi has wrapped up his seventh Rocket Richard Trophy for leading the league in goals and is the 2nd oldest player in NHL history to do so at the age of 32 (Phil Esposito, 33). Ovi also racked up 87 points this year, the most he’s had in a season since 2009-10. What an absolutely magical year for the Caps captain. Love you, O.
• Shane Gersich recorded his first NHL point, receiving the primary assist on Michal Kempny‘s point blast. Gersich is the eighth rookie to record a point for the Capitals this season and he’s also the sixth rookie to record his first career point this season for the Caps.
• Almost just as aggravating to stats nerds like me, Nicklas Backstrom will finish 2017-18 with 799 career points.
• Ovechkin finished the night with 18 total shot attempts. The man was on a mission.
• In the three times that the Columbus Blue Jackets have made the playoffs, they have a total record of 3-10 and have not advanced past the first round. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, in four separate playoff campaigns with the Philadelphia Flyers and Blue Jackets, has a 3-10 career record with a 3.63 goals against average and a .887 save percentage.

Numbers thanks to Hockey-reference.com, Hockeystats.ca, NaturalStatTrick.com, and Corsica.hockey.

Full RMNB Coverage of Caps vs Devils

Headline Photo: Patrick McDermott