WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex Ovechkin scored his 858th career goal and had two assists, and the Washington Capitals beat the Montreal Canadiens 6-3 on Thursday night to continue their strong start.
Ovechkin is now 37 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky's record. After making Cayden Primeau the 176th different goaltender he has scored on, Ovechkin is on pace for 45 this season, which would put him at 895 and perhaps beyond this spring.
Click to Gallery
Washington Capitals left wing Andrew Mangiapane (88) skates with the puck against Montreal Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle (21) and center Christian Dvorak (28) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Montreal Canadiens goaltender Cayden Primeau (30) stops the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki, left, celebrates his goal with defenseman Lane Hutson (48) during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Montreal Canadiens right wing Cole Caufield (13) celebrates his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Capitals right wing Brandon Duhaime (22) celebrates at the bench after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) skates with the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) skates with the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) skates with the puck against Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jayden Struble (47) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Before scoring with 7:33 left in the third period, Ovechkin set up goals by Tom Wilson and Aliaksei Protas. Wilson ended an 0-for-22 power-play drought with his team-leading sixth goal of the season.
Brandon Duhaime and Jakub Vrana scored less than a minute apart, and new dad Connor McMichael also had a goal for the Capitals, who improved to 7-2-0. They last won seven of their first nine games in 2015-16.
Montreal's Cole Caufield scored his 10th to tie New Jersey captain Nico Hischier for the league lead. Brendan Gallagher and Nick Suzuki had the other goals for the Canadiens, and Primeau stopped 28 shots.
Canadiens: After coach Martin St-Louis mixed up his lines following an 8-2 home loss to Seattle, this was a better effort. It also helped to get defensemen Kaiden Guhle and Justin Barrow back from injury.
Capitals: The sample size is no longer too small. It's OK to think the Caps are a playoff contender after several offseason additions.
Charlie Lindgren made the biggest of his 13 saves denying Caufield on a lengthy penalty kill in the third, which came after Washington went up 5-3.
The Capitals have scored three or more goals in eight of their nine games.
The Capitals host Columbus on Saturday, and the Canadiens visit Pittsburgh.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Washington Capitals left wing Andrew Mangiapane (88) skates with the puck against Montreal Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle (21) and center Christian Dvorak (28) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Montreal Canadiens goaltender Cayden Primeau (30) stops the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki, left, celebrates his goal with defenseman Lane Hutson (48) during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Montreal Canadiens right wing Cole Caufield (13) celebrates his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Capitals right wing Brandon Duhaime (22) celebrates at the bench after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) skates with the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) skates with the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) skates with the puck against Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jayden Struble (47) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
