The Washington Capitals secured their third consecutive win of the NHL regular season with a 3-2 victory on the road against Columbus. The highlight came in overtime when captain Alexander Ovechkin buried the deciding goal, giving the Caps the win and snapping a personal 14-game pointless streak in regulation and overtime alike.
On X, the Capitals’ communications team noted the moment with a nod to the famous line, Elvis has left the building, as Ovechkin struck on the power play not long after Columbus goaltender Elvis Merzlikin left the ice following a roughing play. The Russian winger fired the puck from his preferred left-wing faceoff spot and quickly headed to the locker room, delivering the moment fans had anticipated for some time.
“We didn’t change who we are,” the forward said after the game. “We moved the puck well and controlled the tempo. You could see we gained confidence as the game moved on. We scored twice, and I told the guys this is a sign of how we want to play. We plan to keep that energy.”
When asked about the drought, Ovechkin admitted it had been a long spell. He added that the team pushed through, fought hard, and found their sharpness again, then noted that they had solved the issue moving forward. In the interview with the Washington press service, he reflected, “I had good chances in the first two periods. Sometimes you just have to keep going and break through. I am glad I scored, and I hope there will be more in the future.”
Head coach Spencer Carbery praised Ovechkin, calling him one of the standout players in the previous game. He expressed belief that the late spark could propel the Russian forward moving ahead. According to the coach, the goal could serve as a springboard and open up even more dangerous opportunities for Alexander.
In addition to the overtime marker, Ovechkin assisted Anthony Mantha in the opening frame. The veteran forward has accumulated 20 points this season, with six goals and fourteen assists, and carries a minus-six rating. The Columbus game marked his 1376th NHL appearance, lifting his career total to 1505 points (828 goals, 677 assists).
Ovechkin’s latest goal continued his pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time regular-season goals record, which stands at 894. With 828 goals, Ovechkin sits 66 shy of Gretzky’s mark. He would later become the second player in league history, after Gretzky, to reach 900 goals when including playoffs, a milestone that now sits at 1016 goals in total for the Great One.
The goal against Columbus also marked Russia’s 135th combined win in regular-season and playoff play and moved Ovechkin past Brett Hull in that category, ranking him second all-time. Jaromir Jagr remains the leader with 151 such goals. This milestone is a reminder of Ovechkin’s enduring impact and competitive stature in the league’s history.
That same goal pushed Ovechkin to 40 career overtime points, edging past Evgeni Malkin who had 39, and placing him second historically in overtime scoring. He is now three points away from tying Sidney Crosby’s all-time mark of 43 overtime points. Ovechkin also achieved his 677th career assist and stands 68th on the NHL’s all-time assists list, narrowing the gap to Bobby Smith and Ray Whitney, who share 679 assists.
Additionally, the Russian winger remains firm in the top 50 for most career NHL games, sitting at 49th place. He is just one game behind Vincent Damphousse, Dean Prentice, and Joe Sakic, all of whom reached 1,378 career appearances. The milestone moments underscore Ovechkin’s longevity and continued contribution to the Capitals and the league as a whole.