Alex Ovechkin inches closer to goals record, but Winnipeg Jets have last laugh in overtime

Judy Owen · The Canadian Press

· Posted: Mar 25, 2025 11:09 PM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

Nikolaj Ehlers scored connected a breakaway 1:28 into overtime to assistance the Winnipeg Jets clinch a playoff spot by downing the Washington Capitals 3-2 successful Tuesday's showdown betwixt the NHL's apical 2 teams.

The Eastern Conference-leading Capitals were successful a enactment alteration erstwhile Ehlers grabbed the puck and fired a wrist changeable past goalie Logan Thompson for his 24th extremity of the season.

Washington prima Alex Ovechkin had tied the crippled 2-2 with a one-timer that went done Connor Hellebuyck's pads with 4 minutes remaining successful the 3rd period.

Ovechkin present has 889 vocation goals, six distant from breaking Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals grounds of 894.

Josh Morrissey and Mason Appleton besides scored for the Jets (49-19-4), who swept the two-game play bid against Washington aft taking the archetypal crippled 5-4, besides successful overtime.

Hellebuyck made 27 saves for the Western Conference-leading Jets successful beforehand of the team's 3rd consecutive sellout and 11th of the play astatine Canada Life Centre.

Andrew Mangiapane besides scored for the Capitals (47-15-9), extending his extremity streak to 3 games with 3 goals. Thompson stopped 22 shots.

Winnipeg led 1-0 aft the fast, tight-checking archetypal play erstwhile Morrissey's one-timer went disconnected Capitals defenceman Martin Fehervary successful beforehand of the nett and past Thompson astatine 6:50.

After sitting successful the container for cross-checking Jets defenceman Colin Miller successful the chest, Mangiapane stepped out, joined a three-on-two and sent a changeable implicit Hellebucyk's close enarthrosis with 40 seconds near successful the period.

Winnipeg outshot the Capitals 8-6 successful the opening frame.

Washington had the game's archetypal 2 powerfulness plays successful the 2nd period, putting a brace of shots successful each 1 astatine Hellebuyck.

Appleton broke the necktie with 12 seconds remaining successful the 2nd with a wrist changeable implicit Thompson's glove. His ninth extremity of the play came 11 seconds aft Winnipeg's archetypal antheral vantage expired.

The Capitals outshot Winnipeg 12-7 successful the mediate period.

The Jets had their 2nd powerfulness play aboriginal successful the third, but lone got 1 changeable connected goal.

Takeaways

Jets: Winnipeg marked its 3rd consecutive play making the playoffs and seventh clip successful the past 8 years. The Jets had to set to playing without injured guardant Gabriel Vilardi (upper-body injury), who was replaced by Alex Iafallo. The juggling moved Adam Lowry up to the 2nd enactment to centre Ehlers and Appleton.

Capitals: Washington is present 9-1-1 successful its past 11 games. The Capitals went into the crippled defeating 28 of the league's different 31 teams this play ┬¡— but Winnipeg, Minnesota (who they play Thursday) and Chicago (who sojourn Washington connected April 4).

Key moment

Ovechkin's 36th extremity of the play tied the crippled 2-2 with 4 minutes near successful the 3rd period. It came a infinitesimal aft Hellebuyck denied Tom Wilson connected a one-timer.

Key stat

Winnipeg is 37-0-1 erstwhile starring aft 2 periods.

Up next

Capitals: Visit the Minnesota Wild connected Thursday.

Jets: Host the New Jersey Devils connected Friday.