The Chicago Blackhawks took on the Washington Capitals on Friday night in DC. The game was between a President’s Trophy candidate and a lottery team. However, it had a lot more juice because of The Great Chase.
Alexander Ovechkin entered Friday with 892 career goals, which was two shy of Wayne Gretzky’s record. Of course, it was “business as usual” mentality for the Blackhawks, but it was hard to avoid thinking about what was at stake.
You don’t go into an NHL game thinking a specific player would have a hat trick but with Ovechkin, you can never rule it out.
It only took him 3:52 to get his first of the game and 893rd of his career. His 40th goal of the season was to take a 1-0 lead. Ovechkin’s 14 40-goal seasons are the most in NHL history.
After that, the Blackhawks scored two straight goals. Tyler Bertuzzi and Frank Nazar were the scorers who gave Chicago a 2-1 lead. On the Nazar goal, Oliver Moore earned his first career NHL point with an assist.
Just under the mid-way point of the second period, the Blackhawks and Capitals exchanged goals. Martin Fahervary scored to tie the game and Philipp Kurashev scored ten seconds later for the lead right back.
In the third period, Dylan Strome was credited with an own goal as Connor Murphy hit it into his own net. This mistake by Murphy kept Ovechkin from scoring his second of the game as he was on the doorstep by the loose puck.
Ovechkin would eventually get that second goal just a few minutes later to tie Wayne Gretzky’s record. His 894th career goal was celebrated as every Capital player spilled over the bench to hug their teammate. The building was as loud as a home Stanley Cup victory.
Ryan Leonard scored his first career NHL goal into the empty net and the Capitals won the game 5-3. Ovechkin had multiple chances on net when he needed one more to break the record but Spencer Knight stood tall.
Once the game was over, the Blackhawks stayed out on the ice to shake Ovechkin’s hand. Now, he will attempt the break the record against the New York Islanders on Sunday night.
The Blackhawks played the Capitals, one of the best teams in the NHL, hard all game. They stayed with them until Ovechkin gave them the lead in the third. Their speed, skill, and youth are on full display to end the season despite the results.
Oliver Moore collected his first career point and it took him no time to get his second. The speedy forward is capable of creating with a hard forecheck, which was evident on Friday.
Chicago’s next game is against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday evening. They will go from trying to stop Alexander Ovechkin to trying to stop Sidney Crosby. That is never a fun stretch.
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