Ovechkin scoring another game-winning goal for the Capitals comes as no surprise to the Predators

WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex Ovechkin scoring to hand the Nashville Predators another defeat and keep his Washington Capitals rolling was not surprising to the folks on the other side who have seen him a lot over the years.

“You knew it was coming,” said Predators coach Andrew Brunette, whose final seven seasons as a player overlapped with Ovechkin's first seven in the NHL. "You’re on the bench and I guess I’ve seen him too many times. I’ve played against him, I’ve coached against him, I’ve watched him and he just finds that and when it’s on his stick it’s gone.

"That’s a big-time shot from obviously arguably the greatest goal-scorer of all time.”

Ovechkin is now six away from breaking Jaromir Jagr's record for the most career game-winning goals. His 130th helped the Capitals improve to 9-3-0 this season and sent the Predators to their ninth loss in 13 games.

“It (stinks) that he scored against us tonight and got the game-winner, but a guy that is still producing at this age is impressive,” said Predators forward Steven Stamkos, who played his first 16 years in the league with Tampa Bay. “To keep doing it at this age is very impressive.”

Ovechkin has six goals in his past five games to reach 861 for his career. He's 34 away from breaking Wayne Gretzky's career mark that for decades had seemed unapproachable.

Washington's longtime captain also became just the third player age 39 or older to score in five or more consecutive games, after Johnny Bucyk in 1974 and Brett Hull in 2003.

“He’s going to go down as the guy with the most goals ever at some point here,” Stamkos said. “He’s just a generational goal scorer and a guy that I’ve always looked up to in terms of how he scores goals. It’s the hardest thing to do in the NHL is score and he’s found a way to do it better than — soon — anyone ever.”

Ovechkin also continued his streak of scoring every game the Capitals wear their black “Screaming Eagle” jersey, on this occasion the first time in this, their 50th season. The player known as the “Great Eight” is now 8 for 8 in this uniform.

“I don’t know the stats, but I love this jersey," Ovechkin said. "Fans love it, so it’s pretty cool.”

Ovechkin set up Aliaksei Protas earlier in the game, too, and has eight goals and eight assists.

“I’m always having fun," Ovechkin said. "But when you're winning games, when you're producing opportunities to have a chance to score goals, it’s always fun to play.”

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) skates with the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in Washington. The Capitals won 3-2. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates his goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in Washington. The Capitals won 3-2. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) shoots the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in Washington. The Capitals won 3-2. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) waves to the crowd after an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in Washington. The Capitals won 3-2. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates his goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in Washington. The Capitals won 3-2. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are poised to add another entry into their rapidly developing rivalry when the ATP Finals open on Sunday without any of the Big Three for the first time in 23 years.

The top-ranked Sinner and No. 3 Alcaraz evenly split the year’s Grand Slam titles between them with two apiece and it would be fitting if the pair meet again in Turin.

Sinner and Alcaraz were placed in different groups in Thursday's draw.

The Ilie Nastase Group features Sinner, Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur.

The John Newcombe Group features Alexander Zverev, Alcaraz, Casper Ruud and Andrey Rublev.

After the round-robin stage, the top two finishers in each group advance to the semifinals.

The big name missing is that of defending champion Novak Djokovic, who withdrew on Tuesday due to an unspecified injury.

Not since 2001 has the finals been held without at least one of Djokovic, Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal. This season also was the first since 2002 without at least one Grand Slam title for a member of that trio.

Djokovic has won the ATP Finals a record seven times. He beat Sinner in the final last year.

Federer, who retired in 2022, won the event six times after making his debut in 2002; Nadal, who is retiring after playing in the Davis Cup the week after finals, was the runner-up twice at the finals but never won it.

Sinner withdrew from last week’s Paris Masters due to a virus and showed up early in Turin for training.

“This is for me the main event of the end of the year,” Sinner said.

As an Italian, Sinner will be the main focus of attention in Turin.

It’s the first time Sinner is playing at home since it was announced before his U.S. Open title that he tested positive in two separate drug tests this year.

A decision to clear Sinner of wrongdoing was appealed by the World Anti-Doping Agency in September and the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport is expected to make a final ruling on the case early next year.

Sinner opened this year by winning the Australian Open to become the first Italian man to win a Grand Slam singles title in nearly a half-century — since Adriano Panatta raised the French Open trophy in 1976.

Alcaraz then claimed the French Open and Wimbledon titles to raise his career total to four Grand Slams.

Sinner responded by winning the U.S. Open.

Alcaraz won all three official meetings with Sinner this year and holds a 6-4 advantage in their career head-to-head rivalry. Last month, Sinner beat Alcaraz in the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Saudi Arabia.

The only two players in the field to have won the finals are Zverev and Medvedev.

Zverev won in London in 2018 and in Turin in 2021; Medvedev triumphed in 2020, the final year the event was held in London.

Zverev enters in solid form coming off a title at the Paris Masters and leapfrogged Alcaraz into No. 2 in the rankings this week.

Fritz is looking to add another big result after his maiden Grand Slam final at the U.S. Open; Ruud was a finalist in 2022; De Minaur is making his tournament debut; and Rublev is making his fifth straight appearance.

If a player wins all five of his matches en route to the trophy, he will earn $4.8 million — the largest winner’s prize on the men’s tour.

That’s significantly more than what Sinner and Alcaraz earned for their victories at the U.S. Open ($3.6 million) and Wimbledon (2.7 million pounds or $3.45 million) this year.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Russia's Andrey Rublev returns a ball to Ben Shelton of the U.S. during their quarter final match at the Swiss Indoors tennis tournament at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. (Georgios Kefalas/Keystone via AP)

Alex de Minaur, of Australia, celebrates winning a point to Denmark's Holger Rune during their quarterfinal match of the Paris Masters tennis tournament at the Accor Arena, Friday, Nov. 1, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Russia's Daniil Medvedev throws his racket as he plays Alexei Popyrin, of Australia, during their second round match of the Paris Masters tennis tournament, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Germany's Alexander Zverev returns to France's Ugo Humbert during the final of the Paris Masters tennis tournament at the Accor Arena on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz backhands to France's Ugo Humbert during their third round match of the Paris Masters tennis tournament at the Accor Arena, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz reacts as he plays France's Ugo Humbert in a third round match at the Paris Masters tennis tournament at the Accor Arena, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)