If it’s finally hitting you, you’re not the only one.
After scoring his 891st goal against the Boston Bruins last night, Alex Ovechkin is within striking distance of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL goals record. With a hat trick, which Ovi has done over 30 times in his career, he will tie Gretz. And with a four-goal game, which he once did against the Montreal Canadiens, Ovi will be the new NHL goals king.
We are here and it is real and we are witnessing something historic. And now, it may happen at any time.
Puck drop for Caps-Hurricanes is set for 7:00 pm on Monumental Sports Network. Joe B and Locker have the call.
Ryan Leonard will be back in the lineup for a second-consecutive night and Logan Thompson will start for the Caps. Frederik Andersen will man the opposite crease for the Hurricanes.
Lines
Washington Capitals
Carolina Hurricanes
Tunnel shenanigans
1st Period
Puck is dropped.
John Carlson gets hit in the cheek/ear area with a puck again. He’s staying on the bench, thankfully.
Ryan Leonard sets up Aliaksei Protas on a semi-breakaway but Andersen makes the save to prevent Leonard’s first point.
🚨 1-0 Carolina Hurricanes. CAR Goal: Sean Walker (5). Unassisted. Time: 06:14.
Jakob Chychrun turned it over to Sean Walker, who beat Thompson with a shot to give the Canes an early lead.
Logan Thompson has a shot hit him in the head and take his mask clean off.
Tom Wilson cross-checks Brent Burns hard in the lower back and the defenseman is ailing. No call somehow.
Lars Eller to the box for interfering Tyson Jost.
🚨 2-0 Carolina Hurricanes. CAR PPG: Jackson Blake (13). Assists: T. Hall (22), S. Gostisbehere (35). Time: 10:11.
The hole is bigger for the Capitals here. They look overwhelmed by Carolina’s speed.
Sandin to the box for delay of game – puck over the glass at 13:05.
🚨 3-0 Carolina Hurricanes. CAR PPG: Seth Jarvis (30). Assists: S. Gostisbehere (36), S. Aho (42). Time: 13:21.
Jarvis sends a perfectly-placed one-timer from the left circle past Thompson.
Eller is tripped by Gostisbehere at 14:41. I thought the play was offside before the trip, but whatever, the Capitals go to their first power play.
Leonard just tripped on the puck or dove and somehow that drew a penalty on Taylor Hall at 17:43. The Hurricanes are furious as they should be.
Connor McMichael negates the rest of the power play with a cross-check on Aho at 19:22.
At intermission: Caps look tired and have one of their worst periods of the season. The Hurricanes lead 3-0 and are outshooting the Capitals 12 to 5. Embarrassing period of play.
2nd Period
For the first time this season, Spencer Carbery has switched goaltenders due to performance reasons. Charlie Lindgren is now in.
Puck is dropped.
Connor McMichael sets up Alex Ovechkin on a semi-breakaway but Ovi shoots it right into Andersen’s crest.
[eyebrow raises at this]PLD to the box for interfering Aho at 6:57.
🚨 4-0 Carolina Hurricanes. CAR Goal: Logan Stankoven (12). Assists: J. Roslovic (15). Time: 09:27.
Gostisbehere and Mangiapane to the box for minors at 11:46.
Taylor Hall is going off at 18:27 for holding Nic Dowd.
Oh boy! Caps are going to a 5-on-3 now. Brent Burns just held Tom Wilson at the 19:04 mark.
🚨 4-1 Carolina Hurricanes. WSH PPG: Alex Ovechkin (39). Assists: J. Chychrun (27), D. Strome (49). Time: 19:25.
Alex Ovechkin scores 892nd career goal against Hurricanes, 3 away from breaking NHL goals record
Ovi blasts a one-timer for career goal number 892. He’s three away from the NHL goals record!
At intermission: Hurricanes lead 4-1. Shots are tied 18 to 18.
3rd Period
Puck is dropped.
Caps still struggling to get anything going.
J. Chychrun to the box for slashing Seth Jarvis at 6:20.
🚨 5-1 Carolina Hurricanes. CAR PPG: Jackson Blake (14). Assists: S. Jarvis (30). Time: 06:55.
Strome and Jarvis to the box for a scrum at 11:39. Strome gets an extra minor. The scuffle came after Aho accidentally swung his stick and hit Tom Wilson while being hit in neutral ice. Wilson is writhing in pain on the bench and screaming at the Hurricanes.
Huge scrum after a whistle on the Hurricanes’ power play. Wilson is still furious. As he’s trying to get to Stankoven, he knocks a referee down to the ice. Yup, he’s out of the game. Stankoven is tossed too.
Hurricanes to a five-on-three.
The Capitals and Hurricanes have 9 players each left on their benches.
McMichael drops his gloves with Chatfield. He got slammed to the ice at the end there.
The end of this game is just a sideshow. I usually love when games get like this, but this one is not giving me fun vibes.
Capitals lose 5-1.
A mess, a melee, and a bit of a mauling: Hurricanes beat Capitals 5-1
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