Elvis Merzlikins, the Columbus Blue Jackets’ goaltender, relished denying a scoring chance from Alexander Ovechkin during a regular season NHL matchup against the Washington Capitals. The Latvian netminder shared his thoughts through journalist Tom Gulitti on the social platform X, highlighting the moment as a personal triumph in the rink.
“He is considered by many as the best player in the world, and I, as a goalie, hoped he wouldn’t beat me today. I faced him with real intensity and he had several good looks, yet I stood firm and couldn’t be beaten,” Merzlikins stated, underscoring the competitive battle between the two skilled veterans.
The game unfolded at Capital One Arena in Washington, with the Capitals edging out the Blue Jackets by a 2-1 final. Tom Wilson opened the scoring for the home team, followed by a marker from Sonny Milano. Columbus answered late through Dmitry Voronkov, but the comeback fell short as Washington held on for the win.
Through ten appearances this NHL season, Ovechkin has recorded two goals and six assists, continuing a storied career in which he has accumulated 824 goals. That total places him just 70 goals behind Wayne Gretzky for the all-time lead, a milestone frequently cited in discussions of hockey’s greatest scorers.
Earlier in the campaign, Ovechkin, a Russian veteran known for his goal-scoring prowess, remained a constant threat in Capitals games, drawing high-stakes attention from opponents and fans alike. The dynamic between Ovechkin’s scoring ability and Merzlikins’ goaltending crafted a memorable chapter in this season’s early NHL action, showcasing the clash of elite talent on the sport’s biggest stage. [Source: game recap notes and league statistics]