Alex Ovechkin, playing in his second game back from a broken fibula, scored again and continued his torrid start to the 2024-25 season, notching his 17th goal in 20 games.
Detroit Red Wings goaltender Alex Lyon (no. 147 on the Ovi Goalies List) was the injured party, watching helplessly as Ovechkin fired a one-timer from the left circle by him short side.
The goal was the fourth Lyon has surrendered to Ovechkin in his career.
The play was all made possible by Dylan Strome, who got his stick on a Red Wings pass in the neutral zone and forced a turnover. Connor McMichael skated the puck into the offensive zone and found Jakob Chychrun in the middle of the ice. The Capitals’ high-scoring defenseman immediately slid the puck to an unguarded Ovechkin, who had found open ice on the left side. The goal was the 870th of Ovechkin’s career.
The Ovi tally came 12:04 into the first period, briefly narrowing the Red Wings lead to 2-1. The Capitals would go on to lose to Detroit, 4-2.
Ovechkin now trails Wayne Gretzky by 24 for a share of the NHL’s all-time goals record of 894. He has seven goals in his last four games, dating back to his hat trick against the Vegas Golden Knights on November 17.
Against the Red Wings, Ovechkin had eight shots on goal and 14 individual shot attempts in 20:22 of ice time.
moving on pic.twitter.com/lHVrYcsMDS
— noah (@capsboybebop) December 30, 2024
