Alex Ovechkin set an NHL record by reaching 30 goals for an 18th season as the visiting Washington Capitals topped the Detroit Red Wings 2-1 on Tuesday night.
Dylan Strome reached the 300-point mark by scoring the Capitals’ opening goal.
Charlie Lindgren made 42 saves and came up two seconds short of recording his sixth shutout as the Capitals snapped a six-game winless streak (0-4-2). Their last victory also came at the Red Wings’ expense on March 26.
Washington (37-30-11, 85 points) improved its chances for an automatic or wild-card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Patrick Kane scored the only goal for Detroit (38-32-8, 84 points). Alex Lyon stopped 21 shots, but the Red Wings absorbed a damaging loss in their drive for a wild-card berth.
There were plenty of quality scoring chances in the opening period but neither team was able to break through.
Detroit continued to pepper the Washington net in the first 10 minutes of the second period, including J.T. Compher’s shot off the left post, but still couldn’t get one past Lindgren.
The Capitals’ Nicolas Aube-Kubel banged a shot off the post with six minutes remaining in the period. Strome finally broke the deadlock with 2:13 left in the second period.
Strome skated into the right circle and fired a shot past Lyon’s glove. Martin Fehervary was credited with an assist on Strome’s 27th goal.
Washington made it 2-0 with 7.2 seconds left in the second period. Detroit defenseman Moritz Seider lost the puck at center ice.
T.J. Oshie then set up Ovechkin, who rifled a shot from the left circle that beat Lyon on the stick side.
Ovechkin broke the record previously held by Mike Gartner, who had 17 career 30-goal seasons.
The Red Wings’ Dylan Larkin was denied by Lindgren early in the third on a breakaway. Detroit was awarded its first power play with 13:27 remaining, as the Capitals had too many men on the ice. David Perron had a shot go off the crossbar as the Wings still came up empty.
Detroit received another power play with 4:12 left when Oshie was whistled for hooking. The Wings also pulled Lyon for an extra skater but had several shots blocked.
Kane scored in the final seconds during a scramble in front of the net.
–Field Level Media
