Washington Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin scored in overtime to complete an unlikely 3-2 comeback win against the New York Islanders and put the Capitals into the playoff spots.
The Russian scored on a wrist shot 1:35 into overtime after Canadian left wing Troy Brouwer struck twice to level the scores at 2-2.
“It's a huge victory for us. We needed one goal, and Browse gets it. He gets a second one and in OT, I had a lucky goal,” Ovechkin told the Capitals’ website.
“It was kind of a lucky goal, but I’ll take it. It’s very important for the team right now.”
Ovechkin, 26, has now won 11 NHL games with overtime goals for the Capitals, a record for the team.
Capitals forward Brooks Laich said that the comeback could set the tone for further success.
“Maybe you look back 20 games from now and it could be a game that sways the season. You have to take care of business at home, and for maybe 54 minutes it wasn’t looking that good.”
Veteran Russian goaltender Evgeni Nabokov made 20 saves for the Islanders, but could not continue his remarkable record against the Capitals, which had seen him on the winning team in 10 of 11 matches against the Washington team.
The Capitals are now eighth in the Eastern Conference after a three-game winning streak, and occupy the conference’s last play-off place.
The Islanders sit 14th in the same conference, and are on course to finish last in the Atlantic Division for the fifth year in succession.
