AP

Ovechkin reaches 800 goals as Capitals beat Blackhawks 7-3

Dec 13, 2022, 7:56 AM | Updated: 9:59 pm

Chicago Blackhawks' Jonathan Toews (19) watches his shot score past Washington Capitals goaltender ...

Chicago Blackhawks' Jonathan Toews (19) watches his shot score past Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren (79) as Dmitry Orlov also defends during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)


              Washington Capitals' Nic Dowd (26) watches his shot score past Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Petr Mrazek (34) and Seth Jones during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
            
              Washington Capitals' Aliaksei Protas (59) and Chicago Blackhawks' Jack Johnson battles for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
            
              Chicago Blackhawks' Jonathan Toews (19) watches his shot score past Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren (79) as Dmitry Orlov also defends during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
            
              Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates his goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Chicago Blackhawks Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
            
              Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin scores his second goal of the game as Chicago Blackhawks' Jake McCabe and Jack Johnson (8) defend during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

CHICAGO (AP) — When it was over, when No. 800 was safely tucked away and Washington’s fifth straight win was complete, Alex Ovechkin jumped on the ice one last time for another round of cheers.

Gordie Howe is next, and Wayne Gretzky is coming up very quickly.

Ovechkin scored three times to become the third NHL player with 800 career goals, and the streaking Capitals beat the lowly Chicago Blackhawks 7-3 on Tuesday night.

“It’s a big number,” Ovechkin said. “It’s the best company (you can) ever imagine since you started playing hockey.”

Ovechkin moved within one goal of Howe for second all-time. Gretzky has the record with 894 goals, but the 37-year-old Ovechkin is showing no signs of slowing down.

“I think once he’s going to be No. 1 he can have a sense of relief,” said Anthony Mantha, who had the primary assist on Ovechkin’s 800th goal. “Until then, I think he’s on the hunt, and that’s what we love about him.”

Mantha, Nic Dowd, Trevor van Riemsdyk and Dmitry Orlov also scored for Washington. Conor Sheary had two assists, and Charlie Lindgren made 26 stops.

The Capitals went 6-2-1 during a nine-game stretch that included only one home date. They play seven of their next nine at home, beginning Thursday night against Dallas.

“Now we just have to have a strong push before Christmas and then get the three days off,” forward Evgeny Kuznetsov said.

Chicago dropped to 1-11-1 in its last 13 games. It has scored just four goals during a four-game slide.

“I thought we battled back, but it’s Ovechkin,” Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson said. “There were a couple of unfortunate bounces, and he makes you pay on those.”

Ovechkin scored on his first two shots, beating Petr Mrazek 24 seconds into the game before stuffing one home on a power play with 11:46 left in the first period. The winger then completed his 29th career hat trick when he knocked Mantha’s pass over a sprawled Mrazek 6:34 into the third.

The rest of the Capitals jumped off the bench to celebrate after the milestone goal, and hats rained down on the ice from the crowd of 16,181 at the United Center. Fans then chanted “Ovi! Ovi!” — drawing a wave from Ovechkin.

“The fans here in Chicago were terrific, the way that they saluted him,” Washington coach Peter Laviolette said. “For him to get a hat trick on the road to get to 800 was just a special night.”

Ovechkin has seven goals in his last four games and a team-high 20 on the season. His previous four goals were all empty-netters.

“It’s mind blowing,” Chicago captain Jonathan Toews said. “How many guys can score goals at his rate in the season, let alone year after year after year? He’s one of a kind, for sure.”

Toews, Max Domi and Tyler Johnson scored for Chicago, and Mrazek finished with 23 saves.

It was Johnson’s first game since Oct. 25. He had been sidelined by a right ankle injury.

HE’S BACK

Washington forward Dylan Strome played his first game back in Chicago since he signed a $3.5 million, one-year contract with the Capitals in July. He was traded from Arizona to Chicago in November 2018 and scored a career-high 22 goals for the Blackhawks last season.

“It’s been really fun to play on this team,” Strome said. “There’s incredible guys. Good coaching staff. Top to bottom, I think it’s been a really, really easy transition for me.”

WORTH NOTING

Capitals center Lars Eller was scratched with an upper-body injury. He is day to day. … Blackhawks forward Andreas Athanasiou missed the game because of a family funeral. … Chicago assigned defenseman Filip Roos to Rockford of the American Hockey League. … Capitals defenseman Erik Gustafsson returned to the lineup after he missed Sunday’s 5-2 win at Winnipeg with an upper-body injury.

UP NEXT

Capitals: Host the Stars on Thursday night.

Blackhawks: Host the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday night.

___

Follow Jay Cohen at https://twitter.com/jcohenap

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Associated Press

Ex-Packer Guion gets 1 year for domestic violence assault

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Former Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading no contest in a domestic violence assault at his home last fall. Brown County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Walsh also ordered Guion on Tuesday to serve three years’ probation and complete a domestic […]

1 year ago

Joe Jarzynka...

Associated Press

Durant eager for Suns debut vs. Hornets after knee injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Durant has been through quite a bit during his 15-year NBA career — but joining a new team midway through the season is a new one for the 13-time All-Star. The 34-year-old Durant doesn’t seem all that worried. Durant makes his highly anticipated Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday night against […]

1 year ago

FILE - Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores stands on the sideline during the second half of an N...

Associated Press

Judge: NFL coach can press discrimination claims in court

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Coach Brian Flores can pursue some of his discrimination claims against the league and its teams in court rather than through arbitration, a judge ruled Wednesday. The written decision by Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan was issued months after lawyers for the league tried to get the lawsuit moved to […]

1 year ago

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock cools off in the first period during an NHL hockey game ...

Associated Press

Kane trade reinforces hard reality of Blackhawks rebuild

CHICAGO (AP) — After days of speculation, the harsh reality of the Chicago Blackhawks’ situation was reinforced by one move in a flurry of transactions ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Showtime is over, at least in Chicago, and a seemingly bright future is, well, way off in the distance. The reverberations of Chicago’s decision […]

1 year ago

FILE -  Yves Jean-Bart, president of the Haitian Football Federation, wearing a protective face mas...

Associated Press

Disgraced ex-Haitian soccer president announces he’s back

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s former soccer federation president whose lifetime ban from sport over sexual abuse allegations was overturned last month announced Wednesday that he is reclaiming his position. Yves Jean-Bart’s defiant announcement could lead to a standoff with FIFA, which already has appointed an emergency management committee to lead the Haitian Football Association […]

1 year ago

FILE - Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after an NFL football game against the ...

Associated Press

Rodgers says decision on future will come ‘soon enough’

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers says he will make a decision on his future “soon enough” as the four-time MVP quarterback ponders whether to play next season and if his future remains with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers, 39, discussed his future while speaking on an episode of the “Aubrey Marcus Podcast” that […]

1 year ago

Ovechkin reaches 800 goals as Capitals beat Blackhawks 7-3