Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin had a big night on Monday, scoring twice in the team’s 6-2 win against Utah. But the celebration was cut short when he had to leave the game with a lower-body injury. Ovechkin is now just 27 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL record of 894 goals, a milestone he’s been chasing for years.
The injury happened in the third period when Ovechkin collided with Utah’s Jack McBain as they both went for the puck. Their knees hit, and Ovechkin slid to the ice in visible pain. He managed to get back to the bench with some help, took a quick skate to test things out, but ultimately left the game limping.
“That’s tough to see,” said Capitals forward Nic Dowd. “He’s been incredible for us, just on fire lately. It’s hard to watch that happen.”
The collision seemed accidental, but Capitals teammate Tom Wilson wasn’t happy about it. He later fought McBain to stand up for Ovechkin.
McBain scored the first goal of the game for Utah, but the Capitals took over from there, firing off four straight goals, including two from Ovechkin. Those goals brought Ovechkin’s career total to 868—putting him even closer to Gretzky’s record. He’s also now scored 15 goals this season, leading the NHL for the first time since early 2022.
To add to the excitement, Ovechkin’s first goal of the night made NHL history. He’s now tied with Jaromir Jagr for scoring against the most goalies ever—178 different ones!
“Honestly, I don’t even have words for what he does,” said Capitals goalie Charlie Lindgren. “It’s amazing. He’s our leader, and it’s tough to see him get hurt.”
Coach Spencer Carbery praised Ovechkin’s leadership and performance this season, saying, “He’s been the driving force for us. Whenever we need a big play, he’s the guy who steps up.”
For now, the team is waiting to find out how serious Ovechkin’s injury is. They’ll know more soon, but his absence would be a big blow for a Capitals team that’s been dominating lately. They currently have the second-best points percentage in the Eastern Conference (.750), and Ovechkin has been at the heart of their success.
Here’s hoping Ovechkin makes a quick recovery and gets back on the ice soon—he’s got history to make!
