Ovechkin scores his 861st career goal as the Capitals hand the struggling Predators another loss

Alex Ovechkin scored nan go-ahead extremity midway done nan 3rd play to scope 861 successful his profession and thief nan Washington Capitals hit nan Nashville Predators 3-2

WASHINGTON -- Alex Ovechkin scored nan go-ahead extremity midway done nan 3rd play to scope 861 successful his career, and nan Washington Capitals hit nan struggling Nashville Predators 3-2 connected Wednesday night.

Ovechkin hit Juuse Saros pinch 9:35 near successful regularisation for his eighth goal of nan season, tying Connor McMichael for nan squad lead. Ovechkin is now conscionable 34 goals from breaking Wayne Gretzky's NHL profession goals record and is connected gait to do it earlier this play is over.

McMichael and Aliaksei Protas besides scored for nan Capitals, who person won 9 of their first 12 games. Logan Thompson made 33 saves to amended to 6-0-0 successful his first six starts pinch Washington.

The Predators' woes continued contempt 33 saves from Saros and goals by Juuso Parssinen and Steven Stamkos. Nashville has opened 4-8-1 aft signing Stamkos, 2023 playoff MVP Jonathan Marchessault and defenseman Brady Skjei successful a $100 million-plus free agency spending spree.

Predators: Coach Andrew Brunette acknowledged vexation seeping into his team's crippled from not scoring, and hitting posts and nan crossbar aggregate times won't thief that effort.

Capitals: Matt Roy, who was injured successful nan play opener, had an assistance successful his 20:07 of crystal clip successful his return.

Officials waved disconnected a imaginable Nashville extremity pinch 7:47 near for goaltender interference. Brunette challenged, and nan telephone stood, putting nan Predators connected nan punishment termination for nan pursuing 2 minutes astatine a clip they needed to push to effort to necktie it.

Dylan Strome mounting up Ovechkin's extremity was nan 200th assistance of his career. Only 2 players successful nan convention person much than Strome's 15 assists this season.

The Predators play nan 2nd half of their backmost to backmost Thursday nighttime astatine Florida, while nan Capitals big Pittsburgh connected Friday night.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl