Alex Ovechkin’s first appearance at Delta Center on November 18, 2024, was one of the most notable games of his career — and not for all good reasons.
After notching a hat trick against the Vegas Golden Knights the day before, Ovechkin scored twice in the Washington Capitals’ 6-2 win over the Utah Hockey Club, but left the game early due to a lower-body injury. With 14:30 remaining in regulation, Utah forward Jack McBain cut across Washington’s zone and made leg-on-leg contact with Ovechkin.
Jack McBain breaks Alex Ovechkin’s leg with a hit
Three days later, the Capitals revealed that McBain’s hit fractured the fibula in Ovechkin’s left leg, pausing Ovi’s goals chase and taking him off the ice for a rare serious injury.
Fast-forward one year, four months, and eight days later, Ovechkin returned to Salt Lake City for a second time — with a healed leg and now the new owner of the NHL’s all-time goals record. He responded with his 34th career hat trick in the Capitals’ 7-4 victory over the Mammoth on March 26.
The game was also particularly feisty after Brandon Tanev boarded Caps defender Matt Roy. Tom Wilson ended up setting a new career-high in penalty minutes with 21, fighting Lawson Crouse and earning a 10-minute misconduct.
“I knew I was obviously spent a lot of time in the box, but I didn’t know that at the time it was, I don’t know what my previous career high was,” Wilson recently told RMNB. “It’s not something to really pay attention to that much.”
Wilson also leveled McBain with a huge hit at the end of the second period as the Mammoth centerman admired his pass in the defensive zone.
Tom Wilson’s big hit on Jack McBain
After that big hit, the two later renewed acquaintances in the third period after Wilson was ushered back to the penalty box. McBain skated over to exchange words with Wilson, and the Capitals forward responded by blowing him a kiss. The taunt enraged the Mammoth forward so much that the game’s referees assessed him a misconduct.
With such a charged-up game and the Capitals’ focus on McBain specifically, many hockey fans surmised Wilson’s hit to McBain was payback for breaking Ovechkin’s leg a year before.
“No. I mean, I know Jack a little bit off the ice,” Wilson said. “He’s an incredible person, obviously a great player. I got a lot of respect for him. He’s also one of those guys that when the game’s starting to get physical, he’s right in the mix. You know, you’re yapping back and forth with him, and that’s the gamesmanship within the game, the game within the game. I think he’s made some huge hits, and he’s a tough kid that can fight. And in that game, I mean, it’s just our team, it’s one of those games where a big hit can help our team win. And momentum was huge in that game. So he’s a big guy.
“I think he, you know, it wasn’t personal by any means,” Wilson continued. “There was no memory or anything from last year. I think he obviously, it was unfortunate what happened, and we settled it last year, and we moved on. So I think more so he’s just a guy that’s always kind of in the mix, physical and tough and a good person all the way from there.”
Wilson’s reference to McBain settling the score is a nod to the two players’ fight in the November 18, 2024, game, where the 26-year-old accepted a bout with the Capitals’ enforcer.
Not only did Wilson believe McBain’s leg-on-leg hit was accidental, but so did Ovi himself, who said in a Russian-language interview later in 2024-25 that the play was a “shame” and a “pity.”
The two teams’ latest game this season also featured another first (beyond Ovechkin’s first defensive-zone start). After Brandon Duhaime fought Tanev, every player from the Capitals bench emptied onto the ice to give ‘Dewey’ a fist-bump in the penalty box. Wilson was noticeably cracking up beside him.
Capitals thank Brandon Duhaime in penalty box
“Yeah, I was laughing,” Wilson said. “That’s pretty good, and shows what kind of teammate he is. Everyone loves him in here. So he’s the first one to get up for anybody else. And I see everyone is returning the favor there.”
The back-and-forth game featured 11 goals, 65 shots, and 82 penalty minutes, and ultimately helped the Capitals remain in the hunt for a playoff spot.
“I mean, it was a big game for us,” Wilson said. “It was a game where we, you know, I think it was a fun one. I think if you’re a first-time hockey fan at that game, you’re hooked for life. It had everything, physicality, scoring, great team game from us. It’s one of those games where they kind of started it and woke us up a little bit. And then from there, we had a heck of a team effort, everybody pulling together, sticking up for each other, scoring goals. It was a lot of fun to be a part of.”
As for Ovi continuing to keep his form despite his leg break last season, Wilson responded, “It’s incredible. He just keeps going.”
