Ovechkin Nets 700th Goal in 3-2 Loss to Devils

It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.

Alex Ovechkin netted the 700th goal of his NHL career on Saturday afternoon against the Devils in New Jersey. Ovechkin's goal came at 4:50 of the third period, tying the game at 2-2 and enabling the Caps to bounce back from what had been a 2-0 deficit in the second period.
But the Caps ultimately dropped a 3-2 decision to the Devils, losing the special teams battle in the 15 minutes that remained after Ovechkin's goal, and absorbing their sixth loss in their last seven games (1-5-1).

"We've been just trying to play the right way and trying to improve our game and it's been ultimately about our team game," says Caps coach Todd Reirden. "But certainly now to move past it, that is a good thing for him, for our team, for everything.
"It's just unfortunate that we couldn't get a point - and potentially, two - to make it a real special night for him, because I know ultimately that's where his concerns are, with winning games and contending for a Stanley Cup."
Starts have been an issue for the Caps in afternoon games this season, and they had an opportunity to take an early jump on the Devils in Jersey, getting two power-play chances before the first television timeout of the first period. Washington generated five shots on net during those four minutes with the man advantage, but the Caps weren't able to get on the board.

It was the Devils who took a 1-0 lead in the first, taking full advantage of a Washington miscue in the attack zone. Lars Eller's pass was picked off by Devils' defenseman Damon Severson, and he quickly sprung winger Jesper Bratt on a breakaway. Bratt flashed some moves, skillfully beating Caps goalie Ilya Samsonov to stake the home team to a 1-0 lead at 12:55 of the first.
New Jersey doubled its lead on a power play midway through the middle period. Bratt tipped a point shot through Samsonov, and it hit the right post and bounced right to veteran Wayne Simmonds, who had an easy tap-in at 12:12 of the second period. The Caps were two seconds away from completing that kill when Simmonds scored.
Less than two minutes after the Simmonds goal, Washington went on the power play once again, and this time it took advantage of the opportunity to cut the home team's lead in half. From center point, John Carlson let a drive fly toward the net. Tom Wilson tipped it past New Jersey netminder Mackenzie Blackwood, making it a 2-1 game at 14:44.

With the primary helper, Carlson tied Calle Johansson (474) for most points among all defensemen in Washington's franchise history. It was also Carlson's 71st point of the season, a single-season best with 21 games still remaining.
Early in the third, Ovechkin made history while tying the game for his team. Ovechkin tried to hit Michal Kempny on a back-door play, and when it failed to come to fruition, a bit of a scramble ensued. Nick Jensen alertly pinched into the left-wing corner and kept the puck alive, pushing it behind the Devils' cage for Evgeny Kuznetsov. Kuznetsov looked to the front for Ovechkin, and he fed the Caps' captain just as he was hauled down. From the right dot, Ovechkin wound up and launched a one-timer past Blackwood, making history and making it a 2-2 game.
"A good pass by Kuzy," recounts Ovechkin. "I hit the net, and it hits the post and goes in. It's over, so we move on."
Washington's bench emptied, as Ovechkin was engulfed in a swarm of white sweaters pouring onto the ice to congratulate him on his monumental milestone.

Just past the midpoint of the third, Washington had a golden opportunity to take its first lead of the afternoon. In the midst of a stretch of 4-on-4 hockey, New Jersey ran into some penalty trouble, giving the Caps a 4-on-3 power play for 56 seconds, and later a 5-on-3 advantage for 14 seconds. But Washington was unable to take advantage of the situation, and the penalty pendulum quickly swung back against them.
Kuznetsov went to the box for hooking Kyle Palmieri - a noted Caps killer - with 4:16 left. In the midst of that penalty-killing mission, Kempny went to the box for slashing Palmieri in front of the net, giving the Devils a 5-on-3 advantage for 49 seconds.
The Caps managed to kill off the two-man disadvantage, but with Kempny still in the box and with Nicklas Backstrom playing without a stick, Palmieri started the play that led to the game-winning goal, a Severson wrist shot from the right dot, a high shot that beat Samsonov on the short side at 18:01.
"I think we did good things after [being down] 2-0," says Ovechkin. "[We get a] power play, then we have a chance to get the lead, but we didn't execute. Then we take two penalties, and it cost us the game."