Alex Ovechkin scored his 888th career goal on Thursday, moving within seven goals of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record of 894, in the Capitals’ 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers.
Ovechkin took his latest step toward Gretzky’s mark at 14:25 of the first period. Trevor van Riemsdyk’s shot was blocked and Aliaksei Protas passed the loose puck to Ovechkin, who slid it past Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson to put Washington up 1-0.
“I love to see it — again, a big goal at a big time gets us going there,” said Capitals goalie Charlie Lindgren.
The Capitals pushed the lead to 3-0 before the Flyers clawed back with two goals in the third period.
Washington held on for their third straight victory and became the first team to clinch a berth in the Stanley Cup playoffs after the New York Islanders failed to earn a regulation win against Montreal — needing overtime to beat the Canadiens.
“Our goal was to make the playoffs this year,” Ovechkin said. “We take it and move on.”
Ovechkin has 35 goals in 53 games this season, which was interrupted by a broken leg suffered in a collision with Utah’s Jack McBain on November 18.
The Russian star has scored 13 goals in his past 19 games, and the Capitals have 13 games left in the regular season.
