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Alex Ovechkin nets No. 750 as Capitals hang Blue Jackets out to dry

What to know from Washington’s 3-1 win

December 4, 2021 at 10:20 p.m. EST
Alex Ovechkin, left, and Garnet Hathaway celebrate Hathaway's empty-net goal that sealed Washington's 3-1 win over Columbus. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
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The captain called his own number early in the second period Saturday night. And when Alex Ovechkin skated into the offensive zone and let loose a shot from the right point, whistling a puck inside the far post that rippled the net, the familiar chants of “Ovi! Ovi!” rained down from the Capital One Arena crowd.

The goal, the 750th of Ovechkin’s storied career and his 20th of the season, stood up as the game-winner as the Capitals beat Columbus, 3-1. It also came against Columbus rookie netminder Daniil Tarasov, 22, who was making just his second career start. Tarasov’s father, Vadim, played against Ovechkin in the Russian Superleague in the early aughts.

The victory improved Washington to 15-4-6. The Blue Jackets fell to 12-10-0.

The goal also gave the Capitals a 2-0 lead and left Ovechkin 16 behind Jaromir Jagr for third on the NHL’s all-time list. It also meant the 36-year-old winger has scored at least 20 goals in 17 consecutive seasons.

Svrluga: Alex Ovechkin is improving at age 36, and teammates 'never seen anything like it'

Ilya Samsonov (17 saves) kept the Blue Jackets at bay until Eric Robinson scored the visitors’ lone goal at 6:28 of the third, trimming their margin to 2-1. Columbus pushed for an equalizer that never came, and Garnet Hathaway added an empty-netter with 1:27 remaining to seal it.

The victory also saw the return of a pair of familiar faces to the Washington lineup. T.J. Oshie and Conor Sheary logged more than 15 minutes of ice time each after they missed the previous six games because of injury.

The Capitals were without Trevor van Riemsdyk and Nic Dowd, both of whom are in the NHL’s coronavirus protocols.

Aliaksei Protas scored the first goal of the night 4:33 into the first period, putting a rebound past Tarasov. Protas, who was playing on the fourth line Saturday, has two goals and two assists in the past five games.

Nicklas Backstrom takes another step toward a return to the Capitals

Columbus appeared to answer Ovechkin’s second-period snipe with a goal of its own from Yegor Chinakhov. However, it was overturned after Washington challenged for offsides. Washington was able to limit Columbus to only two shots on goal in the middle frame. The Capitals had 25 shots on the goal through two periods and finished with 32.

Here is what to know from the Capitals’ win against the Blue Jackets:

Caps have covid concerns

Van Riemsdyk joined Dowd on the NHL’s covid protocols list Saturday. Dowd was placed on the list Friday after he missed Washington’s optional practice because of an “illness.” The team has not revealed whether van Riemsdyk is symptomatic.

Lars Eller previously was the only Capitals player to enter protocols this season. Washington is now taking extra precautions to avoid a potential outbreak.

The Capitals have reverted to wearing masks at all times when they are not in the locker room and have been receiving daily tests. Washington’s coaches also were wearing masks on the bench Saturday night, the first time they have done so this season.

“We’re always concerned about [the virus],” Coach Peter Laviolette said. “We try to follow everything and do everything we can. Even now, there’s protocol for all of us, and we’ll follow that and do our best to just keep it there.”

Sprong scratched again

The returns of Oshie and Sheary meant Daniel Sprong was a healthy scratch for the third time in four games. After Sprong earned praise from Laviolette on Thursday for his play against Chicago, the coach instead chose to keep four rookie forwards in the lineup: Protas, Connor McMichael, Beck Malenstyn and Brett Leason.

Sprong has three goals and three assists in 21 games.

Sheary brings energy

Sheary, who was coming off an upper-body injury, impressed in his return to the lineup. He had two high-danger chances in the first period. The first was turned aside by a great save from Tarasov, and the second clanged off the crossbar after a two-on-one rush with Oshie.

Sheary started on a line with Oshie and McMichael. Sheary and Oshie also were inserted back onto the first power-play unit. With the line firing on all cylinders early, McMichael had four shots on goal. One was preceded by a dazzling spin move on a breakaway near the end of the second period.

“I got to see the replay and pretty amazing agility to spin that direction for a lefty,” Oshie said. “If you think about the mechanics of it, it’s very hard. I wish he would’ve buried it because that would’ve been all over the top 10 for sure.”

Irwin makes debut

Van Riemsdyk’s absence opened the door for Matt Irwin’s debut with the Capitals.

Washington signed Irwin to a one-year, two-way contract in July. Irwin, 34, played for Laviolette in Nashville. Irwin, who has played for six NHL teams, has been with Washington for the entire season but had not suited up until Saturday. He was paired with Justin Schultz on the third defensive pairing.

“Felt pretty good. The guys were very supportive,” Irwin said. “It is all part of the role. You are in the NHL, you’ll take any role you can get, right? I was excited to do it, and obviously you just wait your turn to get in the lineup.”

Struggling in the third

The Capitals have had trouble closing out games and nearly let another slip away after they went into the third period with a 2-0 lead.

Washington had a 2-0 lead going into the third period in Carolina on Sunday before the Hurricanes tied it. The Capitals recovered to win that one, 4-2.

Washington then led 4-1 going into the third period in Florida on Tuesday and lost, 5-4. The Capitals gave up a 3-2 lead Thursday to the Blackhawks, losing, 4-3, after a shootout.