Sara Schmidle/NHLI Via Getty Images
With the puck dropped in the first period of the Washington Capitals’ 2020-21 season opener against the Buffalo Sabres, Washington captain Alex Ovechkin’s 16th NHL season began, and the inevitable talk of how many goals he would record began. However, with two assists in the first period of the contest, Ovechkin made a notable mark on the record books.
Ovechkin’s first helper came at the 5:43 mark of the opening frame, when a pass from T.J. Oshie found it’s way to Ovechkin who, after collecting the pass off his skate boot, managed to nudge it across to Center Nicklas Backstrom, who put the puck past Buffalo goaltender Carter Hutton to give the Capitals’ a 1-0 lead.
Ovi –> Backy we love to see it 😍 pic.twitter.com/SqJgsbmchz
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 15, 2021
Ovechkin’s second point and assist of the opening frame came on a goal by right wing T.J. Oshie, whose battle in front of the net resulted in a poked puck through the pads of Hutton, after a shot from the left faceoff circle was sent through traffic by the Capitals’ captain.
🍩shbabe on the PP! pic.twitter.com/QFV61Gflss
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 15, 2021
The second helper marked Ovechkin’s 20th career point (11 goals, nine assists) in 16 career season-opening games and gives the former first overall pick (2004) 363 career multi-point games, placing him second in the league since his rookie season of 2005-06 (in which he recorded two goals in his and the Capitals’ first game).
With Ovechkin’s two assist night, he now has 363 multi-point games in his career, which is second in the NHL since his debut in 2005-06.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) January 15, 2021
The Capitals headed into the first intermission ahead by one, 2-1 on the goal by Oshie.
By Michael Fleetwood
