Alex Ovechkin celebrates his goal during the second period – the 718th goal of his NHL career – during Washington’s 3-1 win over the New York Islanders on Tuesday. Nick Wass/Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Alex Ovechkin scored his 718th career goal to pass Phil Esposito for sole possession of sixth on the NHL’s career list and became the second active player to record 1,300 points, helping the Washington Capitals beat the New York Islanders 3-1 Tuesday night.
Washington snapped New York’s winning streak at nine and point streak at 12. The Capitals have won six in a row and 10 of their past 11 to move ahead of the Islanders into first place in the East Division.
Ovechkin is a big reason for that. The longtime captain has goals in four consecutive games and five of six and is tied with longtime running mate Nicklas Backstrom, who also scored, for the team lead with 12 this season.
Goal No. 718 was classic Ovechkin: a one-timer on the power play from his favorite spot just inside the left faceoff circle. Ovechkin is 13 goals shy of tying Marcel Dionne for fifth and needs 177 more to break Wayne Gretzky’s record.
“You are a fantastic hockey player,” Esposito said in a video message congratulating Ovechkin for passing him. “I don’t know how you score all those goals with the way these guys block shots with the great equipment that they wear. Good luck. Keep it going, but not against the Lightning.”
Fortunately for Esposito – who does radio for Tampa Bay — the Capitals don’t play the Lightning this season because of all divisional play. The next time Washington and Tampa Bay could face off is the third round of the playoffs.
That just means Ovechkin will continue tormenting the rest of the East Division. With Ovechkin leading the way, the Capitals handed the Islanders their first loss since. Feb. 27 and first in regulation since Feb. 20.
Ovechkin didn’t just score himself. He made a perfect pass to spring Evgeny Kuznetsov into the offensive zone and picked up the secondary assist when T.J. Oshie picked up the rebound and scored.
That was Ovechkin’s 1,300th career point, making him the 35th player in history to reach that milestone. Greybeard Joe Thornton is the only other active player on that list at 1,521.
With his 1,301st point on the power-play goal – his 264th, third all-time – Ovechkin also passed recently elected Hockey Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla for 33rd on the career scoring list.
DEVILS 3, SABRES 2: Miles Wood scored the tiebreaking goal on a power play early in the third period as New Jersey beat visiting Buffalo.
Yegor Sharangovich and Sami Vatanen also had goals as the Devils ended an 11-game losing streak (0-10-1) on home ice. Mackenzie Blackwood made 33 saves.
Tobias Rieder and Jeff Skinner scored for Buffalo but the Sabres lost their 12th straight (0-10-2), the third-longest slide in franchise history. Jonas Johansson stopped 23 shots in his sixth start of the season.
RED WINGS 4, HURRICANES 2: Adam Erne scored twice, Jonathan Bernier made 35 saves and Detroit snapped Carolina’s eight-game win streak with win over the visiting Hurricanes.
Robby Fabbri snapped a tie midway through the second period, sending rebuilding Detroit to just its ninth win in 30 games. The Hurricanes entered the game only one point shy of the NHL leaders.
Erne’s two goals in the first period lifted Detroit to a 2-1 lead. Fabbri’s go-ahead goal was set up by Dylan Larkin’s drop pass with 7:32 left in the second. Filip Hronek had an empty-net goal in the final minute, sealing the victory.
WILD 3, COYOTES 0: Kaapo Kahkonen made 31 saves in his second shutout of the season as Minnesota topped visiting Arizona.
Ryan Hartman, Mats Zuccarello and Jared Spurgeon scored for the Wild. Kahkonen won his ninth straight start during a standout rookie season.
Minnesota swept three consecutive home games against Arizona and extended its home winning streak to eight, the longest in the NHL this year.
Adin Hill made 23 saves for the Coyotes.
NOTES
DEVILS: New Jersey captain Nico Hischier is expected to miss three weeks following surgery Monday to repair a frontal sinus fracture.
Hischier was injured in a 5-2 loss to the Washington Capitals on Feb. 27, when he was struck in the visor by a deflected puck. Hischier has two goals, one assist in five games this season. The Swiss center also missed the first 11 games due to a foot injury.
The Devils named Hischier the 12th captain in franchise history earlier this season.
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