Ovechkin, Capitals Secure Victory over Penguins to End Losing Streak

Ovechkin's Goal Helps Capitals Seal Victory

The Washington Capitals secured a 4-3 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins in a game that saw Alex Ovechkin score for the third time in six games. The win marked an end to the Capitals' four-game losing streak.

Darcy Kuemper made 33 saves in goal for the Capitals, while Rasmus Sandin contributed two assists. The Capitals had a strong start, leading 4-0 late in the first period.

Ovechkin commented on the team's performance, stating, 'Best start of [2024]. New year, new start. We'll take it. I'll say great start, then we kind of maybe relaxed a little bit... In the third, I think we played a solid game.'

Crosby Reaches Milestone, Penguins Fall Short

Sidney Crosby had a goal and an assist for the Penguins, surpassing Joe Thornton to become 12th in NHL history with 1,540 points. Jake Guentzel and Rickard Rakell also contributed with a goal and an assist each.

However, the Penguins were unable to continue their six-game point streak, having won 5 of the previous 6 games. Goaltender Tristan Jarry was pulled from the game after allowing three goals on seven shots.

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan acknowledged that neither Jarry nor the team had their best performance, stating, 'I didn’t think ‘Jars’ had his best, but I didn’t think the team had its best either early in the game... We can’t spot a team those types of goals early on.'

Capitals' Strong Start Gives Them an Edge

The Capitals began the game with a dominant first period, scoring four goals. Tom Wilson opened the scoring just 55 seconds into the game, ending his eight-game goal drought. Other goal scorers for the Capitals included Beck Malenstyn, Martin Fehervary, and Alex Ovechkin.

Despite allowing a late goal in the first period and two more in the second period, the Capitals were able to hold on for the win. The team's head coach, Spencer Carbery, highlighted the importance of finishing periods strong, saying, 'I think, that last shift, we get away from it in a couple of instances there. Next thing you know, it's in the back of our net. That was a big moment.'

Penguins Mount a Comeback, but Fall Short

The Penguins made a strong push in the second period, with goals from Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel to close the gap to 4-3. However, they were unable to find the equalizer in the remaining time.

Despite outshooting the Capitals 30-11 in the final two periods, the Penguins were unable to overcome their early deficit. Goaltender Darcy Kuemper made key saves to secure the victory for the Capitals.

Capitals forward Tom Wilson acknowledged the Penguins' ability to generate momentum and stressed the importance of managing those moments in games against Pittsburgh. He said, 'I think it's the classic with Pittsburgh, you have to control the moments a little bit better. They're a momentum-driven team. So we have to do a better job just managing some of those moments.'