Islanders keep Alex Ovechkin at 899 goals in win over Caps

Field Level Media|published: Fri 31st October, 22:02 2025

NHL: New York Islanders at Washington Capitals

Oct 31, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) skates with the puck against as New York Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield (24) chats during the first period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Bo Horvat scored the go-ahead goal 4:29 into the third period and Ilya Sorokin made 22 saves, lifting the visiting New York Islanders to a 3-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on Friday.

New York's Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored a short-handed goal late in the second period, and Mathew Barzal found an empty net with 1:16 remaining in the third. Barzal was a healthy scratch for disciplinary reasons on Thursday after he was late to the rink for the morning skate.

The Islanders snapped their second three-game losing streak of the season and held Washington captain Alex Ovechkin off the scoresheet. Ovechkin has 899 career goals.

Tom Wilson scored a goal early in the second period and Logan Thompson turned aside 20 shots for the Capitals, who have mustered just two goals total while dropping three in a row.

Skating in on a 2-on-1 rush, Horvat accepted a feed from Emil Heineman and wired a shot from the left circle that beat Thompson over his glove inside the near post. Horvat has scored all of his team-leading seven goals over his past eight games.

Early in the second period, Washington defenseman Jakob Chychrun unleashed a shot from along the left-wing boards that provided a juicy carom to Wilson. The rugged Wilson, who had gained a step on New York rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer, converted from the right circle to open the scoring at 4:48.

The goal was Wilson's team-leading sixth of the season and fifth in his last eight games.

Thompson made a sprawling glove save on Jonathan Drouin to preserve the slim advantage midway into the second period.

New York finally solved Thompson with 5:02 remaining in the second period.

Simon Holmstrom's shot from along the left-wing boards was deflected home by Pageau, who skated through the slot. Washington unsuccessfully challenged the play in a bid for an offside call prior to the goal, leading to a power play for the Islanders.

Washington forward Pierre-Luc Dubois sustained an upper-body injury following a faceoff late in the first period. He did not return to the game. The Capitals already were playing without center Dylan Strome, who missed his second game in a row due to a lower-body injury.

--Field Level Media