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RECAP: Ovechkin ties Gretzky with a pair of goals in 5–3 win over Chicago

  
RECAP: Ovechkin ties Gretzky with a pair of goals in 5–3 win over Chicago
Alexander Ovechkin points to the sky after tying Wayne Gretzky with his 894th career goal in a 5–3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday. (Photo courtesy of the Associated Press)

Fans are always at a crossroads when players have a chance to break a record against their favorite teams and tonight was like no other. Alex Ovechkin came into tonight’s action three goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal scoring record. The 39-year-old forward would find the back of the net twice and had some excellent chances late, one that Spencer Knight stopped with the top of his right shoulder, but would have to settle for “only” tying the record tonight, as the Washington Capitals defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 5–3.

First period

All eyes were on Ovechkin as he chased history and the Russian wasted no time scoring his 40th goal of the season at the 3:52 mark of the opening frame. Ovechkin beat Knight after firing home a shot from former Blackhawks center Dylan Strome. The goal left Ovechkin one goal short of tying Gretzky.

Tyler Bertuzzi tied the game at 1–1 beating Washington netminder Charlie Lindgren for his 21st goal of the season. The goal, assisted by forwards Landon Slaggert and Frank Nazar, would be all the scoring in the period.

Second period

Less than a minute into the middle period, Nazar buried home his eighth goal of the season to give the visitors a 2–1 lead. The goal was assisted by forward Oliver Moore, his first career NHL point, and the soon-to-be-retired Pat Maroon.

Martin Fehervary fired a wrist shot past Knight to tie the game at 2–2, but it would be a short-lived tie game after forward Phillipp Kurashev scored his seventh goal of the season to take back the lead for the Hawks at 3–2.

Third period

Chicago would knock the puck into its own goal and Strome would be credited with the easiest goal of his career to knot things back up at 3–3 at 3:46 mark of the period.

The goal everyone was waiting for, No. 894 of his career, to tie the record found the back of the net at the 6:13 mark to give the Capitals lead at 4–3. Ovechkin found himself at his usual left dot and fired home a wrist shot past Knight.

Capitals forward Ryan Leonard scored his first career goal into an empty net to finish off the Blackhawks 5–3. Ovechkin was given the choice and did not want the record-breaking goal to come by an empty net.

Chicago is back on home ice on Sunday for a 5 p.m. CDT puck drop against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Analysis

Ovechkin has been a polarizing figure since joining the NHL and is one goal away from breaking a record many thought was untouchable. The forward gets his next chance in New York against the Islanders. That game would be the same exact amount of games it took Gretzky to score 894 at 1,487 games played.

Nazar scored tonight and has been doing a nice job playing a simple game and always seems to have a nose for the puck or the open ice to make plays. The 21-year-old forward has also been doing a great job of finding himself in front of the opposing team’s goaltender, a talent a lot of forwards on this team do not possess.

Moore finished the game with two assists and a +2 rating. The youngster has shown the ability to use his speed and slick stick handling to be a factor every time he steps on the ice in his young career.

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