Ovechkin reaches 20 objectives in Nineteenth straight season

CALGARY, Alberta — Alex Ovechkin scored twice, becoming the third player in NHL historic previous to occupy no longer lower than 20 objectives in 19 consecutive seasons and lifting the Washington Capitals previous the Calgary Flames 5-2 on Monday evening in a first-rate game within the Eastern Conference playoff standings.

The 38-year-outdated Ovechkin had two energy-play objectives within the 2nd length as Washington obtained its third straight game. He joined Gordie Howe (22) and Brendan Shanahan (19) because the finest gamers to create the purpose-scoring feat.

Dylan Strome, Hendrix Lapierre and Tom Wilson also scored for Washington (33-25-9), which moved into the 2nd wild-card pickle within the East, one point forward of the slothful Detroit Crimson Wings. It’s the first time the Capitals occupy occupied a playoff pickle since Jan. 2.

Kevin Rooney and MacKenzie Weegar scored for Calgary (33-30-5). The Flames performed 2-2-0 in a four-game homestand.

Washington goalie Charlie Lindgren had 34 saves and improved to 18-11-5. He has obtained five of his previous six video games with a .956 place share.

Calgary rookie Dustin Wolf allowed four objectives on 32 photographs in his third straight starting up and seen his file dip to a pair-4-1. Wolf had allowed three objectives on 67 photographs in worthwhile his previous two video games.

Ovechkin’s Twentieth purpose of the season made it 2-0 at 5:58 of the 2nd length. Ovechkin went to the secure the build he neatly deflected a tricky centering sprint from Max Pacioretty into the tip corner. After pumping his palms in celebration, Ovechkin straight away regarded over at Pacioretty and pointed, acknowledging the terrific sprint.

“Consistency,” coach Spencer Carbery urged reporters when requested about Ovechkin’s secret at some point of his career. “No longer factual from the scoring segment but additionally him being within the lineup and being sturdy and him being in a build to play game after game after game all these years.”

Upright over three minutes later, Washington’s energy play struck again. Ovechkin region up at the tip of the faceoff circle, stick cocked. When John Carlson slid a sprint across, Ovechkin leaned staunch into a slap shot that beat Wolf contained within the finish to post.

“We would occupy most neatly-liked each single little bit of those two objectives tonight to get us in entrance and so as to play from in entrance,” Carbery said, “since chances are you’ll presumably presumably suppose early on we had zero legs and mentally a number of the puck choices, plays, it became once uncharacteristic.”

The Capitals, on their social media pages, posted Carbery’s postgame speech to his group within the locker room, the build he lauded Ovechkin.

“The variation within the sport? Energy play,” he said, along with his group clapping within the background. “[Ovechkin]with two enormous objectives.”

Ovechkin has 12 objectives in 20 video games since the All-Star destroy after scoring factual nine times in 44 video games earlier than that. He raised his career purpose total to 843, 2nd to — and 51 at the support of — Wayne Gretzky. And in doing so with the group that drafted him, Ovechkin is the finest player in NHL historic previous to file the 19 consecutive 20-purpose seasons from the starting up of his career.

“That is a hell of a hockey player over there,” Wolf said of Ovechkin. “He had a pair of moral chances. However it is rather cool to recount you stopped just a few.”

The Capitals had been helped in their playoff sprint by a rejuvenated energy play. On Jan. 18, Washington had the league’s third-worst energy play at 13.3%. At some stage within the last two months, including going 2-for-3 in opposition to Calgary, the Capitals occupy the league’s third-only energy play at 29.1%.

Calgary snappy got relief to interior two objectives at 10:41 of the 2nd length on Rooney’s 2nd purpose of the season and first in 17 video games.

However Lapierre scored four minutes later and restored the three-purpose cushion at 4-1.

Weegar’s 16th of the season at 7:12 of the third — third only amongst NHL defensemen — got Calgary interior two again, but that is as finish because the Flames could presumably get.

Jacob Markstrom (lower physique) is relief skating and coach Ryan Huska said he could presumably return to action as soon as this weekend. The veteran Flames goaltender has missed the previous five video games.

The Capitals will return dwelling to face the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.

“We designate it is far no longer going to be easy. We occupy combating, occupy taking half in,” Ovechkin said of gaining a playoff berth. “We peaceable can develop it. We’re peaceable within the battle. Every point counts.”

The Associated Press contributed to this file.