Ovechkin scores goal No. 883 in Capitals' loss to Flames

WASHINGTON -- Alex Ovechkin scored his 883rd NHL goal in the Washington Capitals' 3-1 loss to the Calgary Flames at Capital One Arena on Tuesday.

With 30 goals in 42 games this season, Ovechkin is 12 away from passing Wayne Gretzky (894) for the all-time record with 24 games remaining in the regular season. He also extended his NHL record for 30-goal seasons to 19.

“My linemates, teammates do a pretty good job finding me out there and I just have to finish it up,” Ovechkin said.

Ovechkin’s fourth goal in two games came on a one-timer from the bottom of the left circle off a pass from John Carlson during a power play and pulled the Capitals within 2-1 at 4:52 of the third period.

“A huge goal tonight,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said. “Brings the building alive and gets us back in the game. From almost an impossible angle, but that’s what he does. He finds ways to score goals in big moments and that was an example tonight.”

Martin Pospisil, Matt Coronato and Jonathan Huberdeau scored for the Flames (28-21-8), who have won two games in a row after losing three straight. Dan Vladar made 26 saves to help Calgary win the opener of a six-game road trip.

"It's a great way for us to start this road trip,” Coronato said. “We knew how much this game meant to us coming in, and I think we're just really proud of the effort we put forward tonight.”

Logan Thompson made 22 saves for the Capitals (38-12-8), who had their eight-game point streak (5-0-3) end.

Washington had earned a point in 16 straight home games (11-0-5) and had not lost in regulation at Capital One Arena since Nov. 23 against the New Jersey Devils (3-2).

“I just think maybe we just anticipated it to come a little bit too easy maybe,” Carlson said. “I don’t want to call them dumb plays because they weren’t really dumb, but it just seemed like we weren’t simplified enough.”

Pospisil’s goal gave the Flames a 1-0 lead at 11:47 of the first period. Ilya Solovyov’s shot from along the left boards deflected off Washington forward Nic Dowd in front and then off Pospisil’s right leg and past Thompson.

Coronato increased the lead to 2-0 at 16:42 when he caught up to a puck sent down the ice by defenseman Kevin Bahl and scored on a wrist shot from the right circle.

“It was terrible,” Carbery said of Washington’s start. “The first period was as bad a period as we’ve played all year. So, we dug ourselves a hole.”

Ovechkin cut the lead to 2-1 when he converted a pass from Carlson.

"I was cheating a little bit, but there is a reason why he has so many goals like that,” Vladar said. “It's going to be a story for my kids one day that a player like that scored on me, but obviously in that moment, you don't appreciate it. I'm happy we just play twice against them.”

Huberdeau scored his 22nd goal of the season on the rebound of Nazem Kadri’s shot at 15:32 of the third period for the 3-1 final.

“You always look to your main guys and ours scored a big goal for us to give us that two-goal lead again,” Flames coach Ryan Huska said. “With Huberdeau finding a way to score I think it took a little pressure off us in that situation.”

NOTES: Kadri has nine points (three goals, six assists) in a seven-game point streak. … Bahl played 23:01 and was plus-1 in his return after missing the past eight games. … Washington was looking to tie its franchise-record 17-game home point streak, which it set in 2016-17 (16-0-1).