Alex Ovechkin has drawn a whole lot of consideration in his quest for Wayne Gretzky’s goal-scoring document. Ovechkin is 31 behind The Nice One and he’s nonetheless scoring at a formidable clip at age 39.
He’ll attempt to transfer nearer to Gretzky when his Washington Capitals play the Colorado Avalanche on Friday night time in Denver.
Ovechkin has 10 objectives in 15 video games up to now and will realistically catch Gretzky this season if he will get on a roll offensively. The truth that he’s doing it 10 months earlier than he turns 40 has impressed his teammates and coaches.
“I might not assume he is 39,” Washington coach Spencer Carbery stated. “You’ll be able to’t even wrap your head across the age and having the ability to play in the most effective league on the earth and the tempo of play these days.”
Ovechkin has eight objectives within the final eight video games and twice has scored two objectives.
“I do know I am unable to think about doing it at 39,” teammate Tom Wilson stated. “I do not assume there’ll ever be anyone like him once more.”
Friday kicks off a three-game highway journey for the Capitals and is the primary of two conferences in opposition to Colorado inside per week. The Avalanche are in Washington on Nov. 21.
The Capitals are coming off a disappointing 4-3 extra time dwelling loss to Toronto on Wednesday night time. Washington had a two-goal lead coming into the third interval however the Maple Leafs despatched it to extra time and gained it with 47 seconds left.
“The best way that that sport performed out, simply embarrassing,” Carbery stated. “Flat out. That is unrecognizable from our staff. Enjoying a staff on the second of (a) back-to-back.”
Colorado is coming off a 4-2 win in opposition to the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night time and has an opportunity to brush its four-game homestand. The Avalanche misplaced 5 of their first seven at dwelling however have gained the final 4 in Denver, and 4 of 5 general, behind strong goaltending and large video games from their stars.
Mikko Rantanen had a pure hat trick and Nathan MacKinnon had three assists in opposition to the Kings, and now assistance is on the way in which.
Forwards Valeri Nichushkin, Jonathan Drouin and Miles Wooden are anticipated to play Friday, which is able to strengthen the highest traces. Nichushkin has been suspended because the second spherical of the 2024 playoffs below the NHL/NHLPA participant help program, and Drouin has not performed since struggling an upper-body harm within the first sport of the season.
Drouin and Wooden, who has not performed since Oct. 28 because of an upper-body harm, had been activated from the injured checklist on Thursday.
The three will rejoin a staff that has performed nicely recently.
“We’re all excited so as to add guys again within the line, particularly the caliber gamers which can be coming again in, however I am extra excited like the way in which our staff’s been enjoying over the past half a dozen video games,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar stated. “We add extra guys into it. So long as we do not change something relating to the factors that we have been hammering dwelling and proceed to play the way in which we have been enjoying.”
–Discipline Stage Media