Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin scored his 892nd career goal, moving him three away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record. However, the milestone was overshadowed as rookie Jackson Blake and teammates Logan Stankoven, Seth Jarvis, and Sean Walker helped the Carolina Hurricanes defeat the Capitals 5-1 on Wednesday night.
The win sealed the Hurricanes’ seventh consecutive playoff appearance, a franchise record. Frederik Andersen made 20 saves to earn his seventh straight victory for Carolina. Ovechkin scored with 34.5 seconds left in the second period, reducing the deficit to 4-1, but it was too late to change the outcome.
The Capitals appeared disinterested in the game after securing a playoff spot earlier in the season. Goalie Logan Thompson’s health concerns are now a major issue, as he suffered an upper-body injury and was replaced by Charlie Lindgren in the first period.
Meanwhile, Hurricanes’ Seth Jarvis reached 30 goals for the season, while rookie Jackson Blake scored twice in his third game. The Hurricanes will face off against Detroit on Friday, while the Capitals host Chicago the same night.
Source: https://www.espn.com/nhl/recap?gameId=401688792