It wasn’t precisely the emphatic return followers have been anticipating or hoping for from Alexander Ovechkin, however he obtained on the rating sheet all the identical.
The 39-year-old scored a breakaway empty-net tap-in objective late within the third interval of the Washington Capitals‘ 5-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, his first sport again from harm in 40 days.
Ovechkin suffered a fractured left fibula on Nov. 18 in opposition to the Utah Hockey Membership however made an sudden speedy restoration in practically six weeks.
The straightforward tally was his sixteenth of the season and 869th of his profession, resuming his chase of Hockey Corridor of Famer Wayne Gretzky’s all-time objectives scored document (894).
Ovechkin is now simply 26 objectives from passing Gretzky and, regardless of the prolonged harm absence, has now scored six goals in his last three games played.
Toronto was simply one other handy sufferer for “The Nice Eight,” as he is affectionately known as, having scored 25 times in 30 road games in opposition to the Maple Leafs in his profession.
He’ll get one other rapid alternative to attain from conventional open play on Sunday when Washington travels to Detroit to tackle the Crimson Wings.