Ovechkin Scores First of the Season
The Washington Capitals continued their hot start to the season, cruising to a 5-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Friday night. The big story of the game was veteran winger Alex Ovechkin, who scored his 898th career NHL goal.
Ovechkin's tally, his first of the season, came in the second period and put the Capitals up 3-1 at the time. The future Hall of Famer is now just two goals shy of the vaunted 900-goal milestone.
Balanced Effort Leads to Fourth Straight Win
Beyond Ovechkin's historic night, the Capitals got contributions up and down the lineup. Center Dylan Strome had a big game, recording a goal and three assists. Aliaksei Protas, Nic Dowd, and Sonny Milano also scored for Washington.
The win extended the Capitals' winning streak to four games, as they continue to establish themselves as one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Head coach Spencer Carbery praised his team's well-rounded performance, saying, "We had contributions from everyone tonight. That's the kind of effort it takes to beat a tough team like Minnesota."
Looking Ahead
With the victory, the Capitals improved to 4-1-0 on the season. They'll look to keep the momentum going on Sunday when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs.
As for the Wild, the loss drops them to 2-3-0 on the year. They'll try to bounce back on Tuesday against the New Jersey Devils.
TL;DR
- Alex Ovechkin scored his 898th career NHL goal as the Washington Capitals cruised to a 5-1 win over the Minnesota Wild.
- The Capitals got a balanced offensive effort, with Dylan Strome, Aliaksei Protas, Nic Dowd, and Sonny Milano also scoring.
- The win extended Washington's winning streak to four games as they continue their strong start to the season.
- The Capitals will host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday, while the Wild will try to rebound against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday.