The Capitals traveled to Salt Lake City for the first time to face the Utah Hockey Club, formerly known as the Arizona/Phoenix Coyotes. Washington dominated for the 6-2 victory to close out a three-game road trip sweep and improve to 13-4-1.
One day after recording a hat trick in Vegas, Alex Ovechkin continued his dominant run by scoring two goals in the contest, one in the first period and another in the second on a 5-on-3. The Great 8 now has a league-leading 15 goals on the season and 868 career goals, needing only 27 more to pass Wayne Gretzky.
Per NHL PR, Ovechkin is the first player in NHL history age 39 or older to be the league’s first skater to 15 goals in a season.
However, things took a turn for the worst early in the third period when Ovechkin collided knee-to-knee with Utah’s Jack McBain. Ovi was unable to put weight on his leg as he left the game and did not return, concerning the Capitals organization and fans.
Despite this, Washington still put up a fight as they went up 3-1 in the opening frame, thanks to goals from Ovechkin, Dylan Strome, and Nic Dowd. Strome and Dowd scored 10 seconds apart in the period.
After The Great 8 went down in the final period, Brandon Duhaime and Aliaksei Protas both put the nail in the coffin with tallies of their own.
John Carlson also scored in the first period by firing a rocket from the blue line, but the goal was waived off due to goalie interference.
Towards the end of the contest, Tom Wilson got in a fight with McBain, who caused Ovechkin’s injury.
