While his analytics are sterling, Justin Sourdif held a difficult distinction to start his Washington Capitals career: he was the only forward to play every game of the season and not register a point.

That all changed Friday night at Nationwide Arena when Lady Luck rewarded Sourdif for his hard work early in the season. The plucky bottom-six forward missed with his shot on a breakaway, chunking the puck off the right post. The biscuit, however, had a mind of its own, ricocheting off Jet Greaves’ back and in, giving the Capitals a 3-0 lead.

The goal marked Sourdif’s milestone first goal as a Capital.

The play was all made possible due to Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson, who, after making a big save in his own end, sent a heads-up pass to Ryan Leonard exiting the zone. The Capitals’ 2023 first-round pick then hit the speedy Sourdif in stride, who took care of the rest. Aliaksei Protas made sure to fish the goal puck from the net.

“I kinda just saw a fast break,” Sourdif said postgame. “I saw LT head-manning the puck. I tried to get middle ice. Then I saw Leno saw me, and I was kind of surprised. I thought they were going to have a weak-side D there. I ended up on a breakaway and just tried to make it count.”

Not only did Sourdif register his first point of the season, but so, too, did Thompson, who was awarded the secondary assist on the play. Later in the night, Connor McMichael registered his own first goal of the season after batting a Greaves rebound out of the air.

After the game, Sourdif posed with his milestone puck.

“Thanks, boys,” Sourdif said in a short speech to the locker room. “This has been amazing ever since day one since I got here. I love you guys.”

For Sourdif, the moment likely took some pressure off after the Capitals acquired the career AHL’er for the high price of second and sixth-round picks from the Florida Panthers during the offseason.

Sourdif has shown considerable speed and energy, driving play into the offensive zone despite rarely starting his shifts there, but his puck-handling and finish have not looked the level yet — the breakaway goal included.

But the positives, they’re there. With Sourdif on the ice at five-on-five this season, the Capitals have owned 60 percent of the shot attempts, 59.3 percent of the expected goals, 62.4 percent of the scoring chances, and 65.3 percent of the high-danger chances.