Alex Ovechkin’s relentless pursuit of hockey history continued on Thursday night as he scored his 840th career goal, propelling the Washington Capitals to a resounding 6-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Russian superstar’s milestone goal, coupled with an assist, elevated him past Hall of Famer Paul Coffey into 15th place on the NHL’s all-time scoring list.
Ovechkin’s 10th goal in his last 15 games brought him within 54 goals of Wayne Gretzky’s untouchable record of 894 career goals. The 38-year-old’s unwavering determination and exceptional scoring prowess continue to captivate the hockey world.
The Capitals’ triumph was a collective effort, with Tom Wilson contributing a short-handed goal and an assist. Nick Jensen, Sonny Milano, Hendrix Lapierre, and Ivan Miroshnichenko also found the back of the net for Washington, who are desperately clinging to their playoff hopes in the Eastern Conference.
Charlie Lindgren, filling in for the ailing Darcy Keumper, turned in a stellar performance, stopping all 39 shots he faced for his sixth career shutout. Tristan Jarry, on the other hand, endured a rough outing for the Penguins, allowing four goals on 22 shots before being pulled in the second period.
The Penguins’ loss further dampened their fading postseason aspirations, as they have now dropped four of their last five games. Sidney Crosby, the team’s captain and perennial superstar, was held without a point for the third consecutive game, marking the first such occurrence this season.
Pittsburgh’s struggles have prompted speculation that they may become sellers before Friday’s trade deadline, with star forward Jake Guentzel potentially on the move to division rival Carolina. The Penguins, the NHL’s oldest team, are looking to rejuvenate their roster and focus on the future, with this season appearing to be a lost cause.
The Penguins’ woes have been exacerbated by their abysmal power play, which ranks 28th in the league and has been prone to surrendering short-handed goals. Wilson’s early goal in the game marked the 10th time Pittsburgh has allowed a goal while on the power play this season, the third-highest total in the NHL.
Despite their struggles, the Penguins remain hopeful that they can turn things around and make a late push for the playoffs. However, with 21 games remaining in the regular season, time is running out for the once-mighty Penguins.
