Forward now 23 goals from breaking Gretzky’s NHL record; Quick denied 400th win for New York
Rangers at Capitals | Recap
WASHINGTON — Alex Ovechkin scored his 872nd NHL goal, moving within 23 of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record, to help the Washington Capitals to a 7-4 win against the New York Rangers at Capital One Arena on Saturday.
Ovechkin made it 5-3 at 10:50 of the third period when he scored on a backhand underneath Jonathan Quick’s right pad after the puck went off defenseman K’Andre Miller’s skate following a face-off in the Rangers zone.
Ovechkin, who also had an assist, has scored in four of five since returning from a fractured left fibula that caused him to miss 16 games. He has 19 goals in 23 games this season.
NYR@WSH: Ovechkin 23 goals away from breaking Gretzky’s record
Dylan Strome had a goal and two assists, and Andrew Mangiapane and Tom Wilson each had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (26-10-3), who are 5-2-1 in their past eight games. Jakob Chychrun had two assists and Logan Thompson made 28 saves.
Quick allowed six goals on 27 shots and was denied his 400th NHL win for the Rangers (17-20-1), who have lost five of six and have not won consecutive games since a three-game run from Nov. 14-19.
Chris Kreider gave New York a 1-0 lead at 7:00 of the first period. Thompson tried to clear the puck after a dump-in, but Kreider intercepted it and scored from the high slot.
Strome tied it 1-1 during a power play at 18:46, tucking in the rebound after Quick stopped Chychrun’s shot from the point.
Lars Eller gave Washington a 2-1 lead at 2:29 of the second period, deflecting Martin Fehervary’s shot from the left point.
Mangiapane made it 3-1 at 10:08 when he scored from the bottom of the right circle off a pass across the slot from Nic Dowd.
Will Cuylle appeared to pull the Rangers within 3-2 at 13:04, but the Capitals successfully challenged that Brett Berard preceded the puck into the zone.
Sam Carrick cut it to 3-2, scoring alone in front at 16:26.
Connor McMichael increased the lead to 4-2 at 18:13, redirecting a pass from Strome from the slot during a power play.
Filip Chytil pulled New York within 4-3 at 8:32 of the third on a breakaway.
After Ovechkin’s goal made it 5-3, Mika Zibanejad cut it to 5-4 at 13:04.
Aliaksei Protas knocked in a rebound at 14:00 to make it 6-4, and Wilson scored an empty-net goal with 38 seconds left for the 7-4 final.
The Capitals finished 2-for-4 on the power play; the Rangers were 0-for-4.
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