In a game that could only be described as a textbook trouncing, the Washington Capitals dominated the St. Louis Blues with an 8-1 victory, a result that left little to the imagination in terms of disparities between the two teams' current forms. This stark win-loss contrast was reflected in the Capitals' Alex Ovechkin and Connor McMichael each netting two goals, boosting Washington to a momentous win last night as reported by FOX 2 Now. Ovechkin's pair of goals pushed his career total to 863, inching him ever closer to Wayne Gretzky’s hallowed NHL record of 894 goals, a summit he now approaches with a mere 31 goals separating him from the peak.
Despite the loss being the Blues' fifth in their last seven games, Washington's win didn't come without its standout performances, including Ovechkin's chase for history and a solid contribution from Jakob Chychrun, Rasmus Sandin, and Michael Sgarbossa who also found the back of the net according to St. Louis Today, with the Russian superstar on track for yet another 50-goal season and halfway to his 20th consecutive 20-goal season, these are the moments you can't help but appreciate even as they come at the expense of the floundering Blues.
The Capitals' performance was further bolstered by a franchise record with Logan Thompson celebrating his seventh straight victory to start his Capitals career, an achievement that nudges former record holder Tomas Vokoun from the Washington annals, as per NHL's official Capitals news. Washington's coach Spencer Carbery remarked on the victory, highlighting how the team weathered the storm and how the power play unit’s contribution was crucial in securing the hefty lead.
The game, which was praised for its collective team effort saw every line contributing to the score sheet and the Capitals ensuring that their losses wouldn't start to accumulate, a strategic response to maintain their standing in the league. Carbery was quoted in the post-match commentary detailing the significance of the power play goals, "In tight games, it obviously can help you in a 1-1 game; you get a power play, score, win the game, you go up 2-1. But also in a game like this, where 3-1 is still a hockey game in this league. The fourth goal is big, and the power play stepped up and scored that," NHL reported.