Despite Alex Ovechkin scoring his 877th goal, the Capitals lose to the Jets 5-4 in overtime

WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex Ovechkin scored the 877th goal of his career to move 18 away from breaking the NHL record, but the Washington Capitals lost 5-4 in overtime to the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night in a showdown of the top two teams in the NHL that lived up to that billing.

Ovechkin tied the score with 7:39 left, setting off “Ovi! Ovi!” chants from a sellout crowd. His 24th goal of the season keeps him on pace to challenge Wayne Gretzky’s mark of 894 this spring.

Josh Morrissey scored his second goal of the game 1:57 into 3-on-3 OT to extend the Jets' winning streak to six games.

Cole Perfetti, Dylan Samberg and Alex Iafallo also scored in regulation for the Jets. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 25 of the 29 shots he faced to pick up his 33rd win and stay on pace to break the single-season record of 48 shared by Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur and Capitals Stanley Cup champion Braden Holtby.

Washington lost back-to-back games for the first time since Dec. 16 and 17, despite the goals from Ovechkin, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Taylor Raddysh and Tom Wilson. Logan Thompson made 25 saves.

Jets: First-year coach Scott Arniel won't be happy about blowing a two-goal third-period lead, but his team found a way to get things done.

Capitals: They hung with the best in the Western Conference by responding each time it looked like the game was getting out of reach.

A give and go between Mark Scheifele and Morrissey made it almost impossible for Thompson to stop the overtime winner.

Ovechkin has scored 56 goals in 74 games against the Jets/Atlanta Thrashers, the most of any opponent.

Jets return home to face Carolina on Tuesday, the same night the Capitals host defending Stanley Cup champion Florida.

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

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dylan Samberg (54) celebrates his goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Capitals left wing Pierre-Luc Dubois (80) celebrates after his goal with defenseman Rasmus Sandin (38) and defenseman John Carlson (74) during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Winnipeg Jets, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

The scoreboard displays a tribute to the victims of the Washington-area plane crash before an NHL hockey game between the Washington Capitals and the Winnipeg Jets, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck stops the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Winnipeg Jets left wing Nikolaj Ehlers (27) reaches for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Capitals right wing Taylor Raddysh (16) celebrates after his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Winnipeg Jets, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Winnipeg Jets left wing Alex Iafallo (9) celebrates his goal with defenseman Neal Pionk (4) during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin awaits a face off during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Winnipeg Jets, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

EAGLE PASS, Texas (AP) — The cries of Liliana Olivero watching from Venezuela through a cellphone pierced through the somber Christian music and gusts of wind as her son's casket was lowered into the ground.

Gustavo Alfonso Garcia Olivares died at 24, drowning in the Rio Grande not far from where he was buried Thursday at the Maverick County Cemetery in Eagle Pass, a Texas border town of about 30,000 people. About 10 people attended the service, which was streamed live to his parents in Venezuela.

It was the first funeral service for a migrant by Border Vigil, a human rights organization on the U.S.-Mexico border, one of the world's deadliest.

"Today we’re trying to bring back some of that humanity not just by giving his name but also by having his photo and having his family in the service,” said Amerika Garcia Grewal with Border Vigil, which is supported by Frontera Federation.

It came a day after Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited Eagle Pass, which became a flashpoint between the Biden administration and Texas' Republican governor, Greg Abbott, over who polices the border and how. The Trump administration and Abbott are closely aligned on border policy.

Border Vigil started in 2023 amid an increase in border crossings that led to many migrant deaths. The International Organization for Migration's Missing Migrants Project has tallied 6,438 dead and missing on the U.S.-Mexico border since 2014.

The U.S. Border Patrol's published data goes through the 12-month period that ended Sept. 30, 2022, when 895 bodies were discovered by its own agents and other government agencies.

Garcia Olivares' parents last saw their son alive in a video shared by a friend showing him crouched in a corner of a fast-moving train heading to Mexico's northern border in 2023.

Victor Garcia recalled their last conversation: "Dad, I’m going to make it, Dad. Don’t worry because you won’t be in need anymore. I’ll buy Mom a house and I’ll help improve your business.”

He described his son as brave and ambitious, having learned to become a barber at 14. He encouraged his son to go to college, but he decided to seek a life in the United States. His mother never had a chance to say goodbye. Not until Thursday.

The ceremony "was very sentimental, sad, but at the same time we are able to breathe a sigh of relief," the father said.

Garcia Olivares’ body was swept up in the river and identified through Operation ID, an academic organization that partners with state, federal and international agencies. Although his family preferred to have him buried back home, they could not afford the nearly $9,000 cost.

A church volunteer built the white pine paneled coffin. As the ceremony closed, a backhoe shoveled dirt into the grave and a placard was placed by a simple, white cross near two dozen similar crosses laying nearby in a corner lot of the cemetery near a maintenance shed.

This story has been updated to correct the name of the organization that supports Border Vigil. It is Frontera Federation, not Fronteras Fund.

Immigration advocates hold a funeral in Eagle Pass, Texas on Thursday, February. 6, 2025, for Gustavo Alfonso Garcia Olivares, who drowned in November 2023 after crossing the Rio Grande into the U.S. (AP Photo/Valerie Gonzalez)

Immigration advocates hold photos of Gustavo Alfonso Garcia Olivares, during his funeral who drowned crossing the Rio Grande into the U.S. in November 2023, on Thursday, Feb. 6,2025, in Eagle Pass, Texas. (AP Photo/Valerie Gonzalez)

Immigration advocates hold a funeral in Eagle Pass, Texas on Thursday Feb. 6, 2025, for Gustavo Alfonso Garcia Olivares, who drowned in November 2023 after crossing the Rio Grande into the U.S. (AP Photo/Valerie Gonzalez)