{"id":373887,"date":"2025-12-28T10:35:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-28T10:35:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/373887\/"},"modified":"2025-12-28T10:35:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-28T10:35:08","slug":"alex-ovechkin-ends-third-longest-goal-drought-of-career-with-game-tying-goal-vs-devils","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/373887\/","title":{"rendered":"Alex Ovechkin ends third-longest goal drought of career with game-tying goal vs. Devils"},"content":{"rendered":"

Alex Ovechkin notched his first goal since December 3 and his first points since December 14 in the Washington Capitals\u2019 4-3 overtime victory over the New Jersey Devils, Saturday. And all it took was some Florida sunshine and three days off<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In the Capitals\u2019 first game back from the NHL\u2019s holiday break, Ovechkin scored the 912th goal of his career after beating Devils goaltender Jake Allen from just outside the crease.<\/p>\n

The goal was only possible after some great work along the half wall by Aliaksei Protas. The Belarusian winger found Rasmus Sandin at the top of the zone wide open. The Swedish defenseman then skated the puck down Broadway, where he found Ovechkin near the goal line. With Allen having to respect a possible Sandin shot, Ovechkin had just enough time to shoot the puck into the yawning net.<\/p>\n

The goal tied the game 3-3 with 10:43 remaining in the third period, eventually forcing overtime. There, Jakob Chychrun batted his own rebound out of mid-air to give the Capitals the 4-3 victory, snapping their three-game losing streak.<\/p>\n

Coming into the night, Ovechkin had been running especially cold, going goalless for nine consecutive games. The streak tied for the third-longest drought of his 21-season NHL career.<\/p>\n

Alex Ovechkin\u2019s longest goal droughts<\/p>\n

14 games \u2013 2023-24 season (Nov. 22, 2023 \u2013 Dec. 20, 2023)
\n10 games \u2013 2016-17 season (Feb. 22, 2017 \u2013 Mar. 12, 2017)
\n9 games (3 different times)<\/p>\n

2025-26 season (Dec. 5, 2025 \u2013 Dec. 23, 2025)
\n2010-11 season (Nov. 17, 2010 \u2013 Dec. 2, 2010)
\n2008-09 season (Oct. 13, 2008 \u2013 Nov. 8, 2008)<\/p>\n

During the nine-game goalless streak, Ovechkin was split up from his longtime centerman, Dylan Strome<\/a>, and posted the following numbers:<\/p>\n

57 shot attempts
\n25 shots on goal
\n13 blocked shots
\n24 individual scoring chances
\n9 individual high-danger chances
\n2 assists<\/p>\n

Not only did Ovechkin break his goal drought against the Devils, but he also sublimely assisted on Aliaksei Protas\u2019s buzzer beater at the end of the first period<\/a>, which gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead. The two points marked Ovechkin\u2019s first multi-point night since posting a two-goal night against the San Jose Sharks on December 3<\/a>. Protas had three points on the evening.<\/p>\n

Ovechkin now has 15 goals on the season and is on pace for 32 tallies at the end of the campaign.<\/p>\n

The tally also marked his seventh career goal against goaltender Jake Allen<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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