Alex Ovechkin leads the NHL with 37 goals, many of them the highlight-reel variety. Goal No. 37 Tuesday in the Washington Capitals' 3-1 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins was no different.
Ovechkin beat Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury on a breakaway to spark the Capitals to a win that moved them to within one point of third-place Pittsburgh in the Metropolitan Division.
Ovechkin scored his League-leading 17th power-play goal late in the first period. After a Penguins turnover, Ovechkin gathered the puck, split two Penguins skaters and skated alone toward Fleury. He faked and went to his backhand, depositing the puck just under the crossbar, a goal confirmed by video review.
Three nights earlier, Ovechkin scored twice in the first period and added two assists for his 19th career four-point game in a 5-3 win against the Anaheim Ducks. Each of Ovechkin's goals tied the score, the first 16 seconds after Ducks forward Andrew Cogliano opened the scoring 1:06 into the game.
"Either the bigger the stage or the bigger the importance of the game, the bigger he plays," Capitals coach Barry Trotz told the Washington Post. "And that’s rare."