Alex Ovechkin continues to chase historical past as Caps host Utah

Sport by recreation, Alex Ovechkin is chipping away at Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goal-scoring report.

Now with 879 profession targets, 16 away from surpassing Gretzky, he’ll look to maintain it going when the Washington Capitals host the Utah Hockey Membership on Sunday afternoon.

Ovechkin has scored in 4 straight video games to carry his season whole to 26, placing him on tempo for 45 targets. Ought to he preserve that tempo, it will be the 14th time in his 20 NHL seasons that he is reached the 40-goal mark. His 0.68 goals-per-game fee this season is the fifth highest of his NHL profession — and he is doing this at 39 years previous.

Washington coach Spencer Carbery believes there’s much more to come back from his captain, who missed 16 video games with a damaged leg from mid-November to late December.

“I believe his finest hockey is to come back within the season,” Carbery stated. “… In my head, at 39 years previous, lacking that period of time and making an attempt to come back again and get caught up within the Nationwide Hockey League. I believe that is actually, actually arduous, and I noticed a distinction in his particular person recreation. I believe he’ll look even higher popping out of the break.”

The Capitals head into Sunday’s tilt with an opportunity to tie the Winnipeg Jets for first place general within the NHL. They’re coming off a 4-3 win towards the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, stretching their level streak to 5 video games (3-0-2).

Sunday would be the last recreation for each groups forward of the league’s pause for the 4 Nations Face-Off, which runs from Wednesday by way of Feb. 20. The Capitals are certainly one of two groups with none illustration on the match.

“A psychological break is gigantic for us at this level within the 12 months,” defenseman John Carlson stated. “Guys which are a little bit banged up and injured, it will assist them too. However principally the way in which I have a look at it’s simply the psychological. Sort of get away from the day-to-day stuff and are available again re-energized and invigorated to complete the 12 months sturdy.”

Utah arrives within the nation’s capital trying to bounce again after a 7-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday. It dropped the membership again to the NHL’s model of .500 on the season, the place it has been for many of the marketing campaign.

Regardless of the middling report, Utah is eight factors shy of the second wild-card spot from the Western Convention.

“I favored our dedication on offense, I like the way in which we competed on offense,” Utah coach Andre Tourigny stated. “I believe we had been too brief on element defensively. All in all, we gave up an excessive amount of on offense for them.”

It has been a wrestle offensively this season for ahead Lawson Crouse, who sits at 12 factors (eight targets, 4 assists) by way of 54 video games. He is on tempo for simply 12 targets after surpassing 20 in every of the previous three seasons.

The Utah alternate captain was scratched Tuesday towards the Flyers earlier than re-entering the lineup Thursday towards the Columbus Blue Jackets. He scored simply his second aim previously 15 video games.

“I maintain myself to a better stage and commonplace,” Crouse stated of being scratched. “… Clearly, it is unlucky however I’ve received to play higher. It is on me.”

–Discipline Stage Media