Alex Ovechkin notched a hat trick to inch closer to Wayne Gretzky’s all-time scoring record, and former Golden Knight Logan Thompson made 40 saves in his return to T-Mobile Arena as the Washington Capitals defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 5-2 on Sunday night.
Jakob Chychrun and Jakub Vrana also found the net for the Capitals, while Dylan Strome and Aliaksei Protas added two assists each.
Brett Howden and Keegan Kolesar scored for Vegas, with Ilya Samsonov stopping 20 shots in goal for the Golden Knights.
Ovechkin now has 866 career goals, just 29 shy of surpassing Gretzky’s NHL record of 894. His hat trick marked the 31st of his career and 176th multigoal game, second only to Gretzky’s 189. Two goals came on the power play, extending his NHL record to 315 career power-play tallies.
The night was also emotional for Thompson, who was honored with a video tribute during the first period of his first return to Vegas after leaving the team earlier this year. The crowd erupted in applause as Thompson tapped his heart in appreciation.
Vegas’ loss keeps coach Bruce Cassidy one win away from his 400th career victory.
Takeaways
Capitals: Thompson has now won both matchups against his former team this season, stopping 64 of 68 shots in those games.
Golden Knights: Jack Eichel continues his hot streak, extending his point streak to six games with two goals and 10 assists during that span.
Key Moment
Ovechkin showcased his defensive awareness in the second period, deflecting Ivan Barbashev’s open-net shot to preserve Washington’s 3-2 lead.
Key Stat
After going winless in their previous six trips, the Capitals earned their first regular-season win at T-Mobile Arena. However, they famously clinched the 2018 Stanley Cup in this arena.
Up Next
- Capitals: Visit Utah on Monday to wrap up a three-game road trip.
- Golden Knights: Open a five-game road trip in Toronto on Wednesday.
