NEWARK, NJ – Alex Ovechkin climbed to second place on the all-time list for NHL power-play goals and the Washington Capitals defeated the New Jersey Devils 5-4 on Sunday, completing a sweep of their eight-game season series.
Ovechkin’s goal in the second period was his 265th with the extra man, level him with Brett Hull for second and him nine behind all-time league leaders Dave Andreychuk (274).
The 35-year-old Russian, who also picked up two assists, has 19 goals and 725 in his career this season. He is six goals shy of tying Marcel Dionne for fifth place all-time in the NHL.
Like most of his personal characteristics, Ovechkin downplayed the meaning of the goal.
“Keep going,” he said. “It is what it is.”
Ilya Samsonov was a major reason the Capitals completed the sweep, with 35 saves, 29 of them in the first 40 minutes.
TJ Oshie, Conor Sheary, Carl Hagelin and Evgeny Kuznetsov also scored for Washington. The eight-game sweep was the first in team history against a single opponent.
Travis Zajac scored twice and Yegor Sharangovich and Jesper Bratt once for New Jersey, which was down 3-2 after two bouts despite beating the Caps 31-12. Mackenzie Blackwood faced 19 shots.
After Zajac and Oshie scored in the first period, Sheary gave the Caps the lead at 3:21 of the second period with a shot that broke off Devils defender Damon Severson’s jersey and fluttered into the net.
Ovechkin extended the lead to two goals, beating the rebound from Nicklas Backstrom’s shot that slipped through Blackwood’s pads. The power game was set up when Dmitry Kulikov Ovechkin high-stick in the face.
“He’s going to be a legend in the game,” said Devil’s defender Ryan Murray. “You know, our job is to shut it down. But of course you appreciate what he has done during his career. ‘
Sharangovich got New Jersey 3-2 in late in the second half, but Hagelin and Kuznetsov scored early in the third to stretch the margin to 5-2. Bratt and Zajac got the Devils in goal with 4:07 to play. They never got any closer.
New Jersey was too short in the front, as right wing Kyle Palmieri was out of precaution. Stephen Bartlett, his agent, said on social media that the move was made pending a transaction in the next days or weeks. The trading deadline is April 12.
Palmieri, 30, has scored at least 24 goals in each of his first five seasons with the Devils. The New Jersey and Palmieri camp had been in talks over the course of the season about a possible contract extension. He is considered one of the more attractive goalscorers in the trade, and as an unrestricted free agent this summer, he could well end up in New Jersey next season with a different deal.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.