Dylan Strome had two goals and two assists, while Alex Ovechkin scored career goal No. 898 as the Washington Capitals routed the Minnesota Wild for their fourth win in row.
Ovechkin, who assisted on Strome’s first-period goal, notched his first of the season 1:19 into the third to put the Capitals ahead 3-1. Strome added an insurance tally with 8:28 remaining in regulation for Washington, which also got a goal from Aliaksei Protas and Tom Wilson and outshot the Wild 45-14 for the game.
Directly off a Strome face-off win, the puck slid to Ovechkin, who one-timed it home from near the top of the circle and by Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson to move closer to No. 900. Ovechkin broke his tie with Gordie Howe and moved into second place with 567 even-strength goals.
Marcus Johansson scored for Minnesota, which was unable to generate any consistent offense while losing for the third time in five games. Gustavsson recorded 40 saves as his defense struggled to keep the puck out of their own zone.
The Wild have totaled three goals while losing two in a row after scoring 13 times in the first three contests.
Washington, which outshot Minnesota 13-3 in the first period, broke through during a tightly contested opening 20 minutes. With 2:08 to go before the first intermission, Ovechkin skated with the puck toward the right wing, then sent it across into the blue paint for Strome to push home.
The Wild managed just seven shots on goal through the first two periods, but they tied things up with 3:13 left in the second. With Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson (13 saves) screened by Minnesota’s Jake Middleton, Johansson’s snap shot found the net.
It ended a run where Minnesota’s previous nine overall goals all came on the power play.
However, Washington regained the lead less than a minute later. Via some nifty passing, the Capitals found Protas, who slid it across the slot and past Gustavsson.
Washington has outscored its opponents 13-5 during their four-game winning streak.
Alex Ovechkin career goals breakdown
Total goals: 898, first overall
Even strength: 567, second overall
Power play: 326, a record
Short-handed: 5
Empty net: 65, a record
Game winners: 136, a record
Overtime goals: 27, a record
Multi-goal games: 179, second overall
Goalies scored against: 184, a record
Hat tricks: 32, tied for fifth overall. Ovechkin has hat tricks against 20 franchises, tying Brett Hull’s record.
20-goal seasons: 20, tied for second
30-goal seasons: 19, a record
40-goal seasons: 14, a record
