Alex Ovechkin scores as Capitals cruise past Sharks

Alex Ovechkin pulled one goal closer to claiming the NHL all-time record and the visiting Washington Capitals used a three-goal first period to claim a 5-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday.

With a third-period tally that rounded out the scoring, Ovechkin deflected a point shot to net his 887th career goal. He needs seven goals to tie and eight to break the mark set by Wayne Gretzky. Ovechkin added an assist.

Dylan Strome, Aliaksei Protas, Taylor Raddysh and Trevor van Riemsdyk also scored for the Eastern Conference-leading Capitals, while Tom Wilson, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Lars Eller all collected two assists.

Goaltender Logan Thompson made 19 saves. The Capitals, who have won six of seven games, return to action on Tuesday to face the Detroit Red Wings and kick off a three-game homestand.

Macklin Celebrini scored a goal for the Sharks, who sit at the bottom of the league standings and have just one win in five games.

San Jose starting goalie Alexandar Georgiev was replaced after surrendering three goals on 17 shots in the first period. Georgi Romanov stopped nine of 11 shots in relief.

Washington dominated the game from the drop of the puck after San Jose failed to record a shot on goal for nearly 10 minutes. The Capitals were rewarded when Strome opened the scoring at 7:33 on a partial breakaway.

Protas doubled the lead at 17:26 with a rebound. Lars Eller drove to the net and was denied, but Protas picked up a loose puck and lifted it over Georgiev while the crease was filled with a slew of skaters for his fourth goal in three games.

Raddysh extended the edge 89 seconds later by ripping a shot into the net from the from right face-off dot.

Celebrini, the first pick of the 2024 draft, put the Sharks on the board at 6:19 of the third period by finishing a golden chance when he gained the puck while alone in the slot.

But van Riemsdyk snapped a 145-game goal drought when he restored Washington's three-goal edge 40 seconds later by tucking in a wraparound for his first NHL goal since March 9, 2023.

That set the stage for Ovechkin to move seven goals behind Gretzky's mark.

--Field Level Media