Ovechkin ties NHL record for 30-goal seasons in Capitals loss to Flyers

WASHINGTON -- Alex Ovechkin tied the NHL record for most 30-goal seasons in the Washington Capitals' 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers at Capital One Arena on Saturday.

Ovechkin tied Mike Gartner by reaching the milestone for the 17th time, scoring with a backhand on a rebound in front to tie it 1-1 at 17:56 of the first period.
Darcy Kuemper made 22 saves for the Capitals (23-16-6), who have lost three of four.
"I think the last two games we haven't been ourselves. So, that is something we have to change," Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom said. "We had the puck a lot, we had good possession, but it is about scoring goals. We've got to create more. We've got to score more goals."

Carter Hart made 39 saves, including 19 in the third period, and Scott Laughton had a goal and an assist for the Flyers (18-18-7), who swept the home-and-home set and are 7-1-0 in their past eight games. They won 5-3 at Philadelphia on Wednesday.
"On our heels in the third period. That's when Carter just steps up big time," Philadelphia coach John Tortorella said. "But it's a good team win for us. We did some really good things in the first two periods. … And then Carter took over the game in the third."
The Flyers were 3-for-3 on the penalty kill and went 1-for-3 on the power play.
"We've been on a good run here," Philadelphia forward James van Riemsdyk said. "I think we're building confidence with what we're trying to do."

Laughton gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead on the power play at 13:16 of the first when he redirected Tony DeAngelo's shot.
Ovechkin tied it after his initial shot was blocked by Philadelphia defenseman Nick Seeler.
Ovechkin has scored at least 30 goals in all but one of his 18 NHL seasons; he scored 24 goals in 45 games in 2020-21, when the League played a 56-game schedule because of concerns surrounding the coronavirus. Gartner scored at least 30 goals in 17 of his 19 seasons before retiring in 1998.
Van Riemsdyk put the Flyers ahead 2-1 at 4:51 of the second period.
Kuemper played the puck behind the net, and Morgan Frost intercepted it along the left boards. Frost fed Owen Tippett, who skated into the left face-off circle and passed across the slot to a wide-open van Riemsdyk, who shot into an open net.
"We were late getting back in the zone, and when that happens it just got stretched out for a second," Capitals coach Peter Laviolette said. "We're usually pretty tight coming back. I thought that we could've done a better job of just getting back towards the top of the house and maybe get a stick on that [puck] as it came across ice."

Wade Allison took a pass from Kevin Hayes and scored through traffic from the slot at 5:40 for the 3-1 final.
"Timely goals," Tortorella said. "Some grinding with 'Ally's' goal. That's a big goal. I thought we were protecting the puck well. No one particular thing [tonight]. I just thought we played well as a team."
Washington outshot Philadelphia 19-9 in the third period.
"I feel like we are getting to the offensive zone," Capitals forward Tom Wilson said, "but when we are there, that is when we've got to make the next play, and we haven't been doing that."
NOTES: Laughton has 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists) in his past 18 games. … Flyers forward Travis Konecny had his 10-game point streak end. … DeAngelo has 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in his past 10 games. … Ovechkin became the fifth player in NHL history to score 400 goals at home (Wayne Gretzky, 492; Gordie Howe, 449; Jaromir Jagr, 411; Gartner, 401). Ovechkin, who has 410 road goals, became the second player to score 400 at home and on the road. Gretzky had 402 on the road. … Capitals center Nic Dowd led all players with nine hits.