The streaking Washington Capitals will try to sweep their three-game Western swing when they visit the Utah Hockey Club on Monday night.
Game time is 9 p.m. ET from Delta Center in Salt Lake City and you can watch it on ESPN+ (introductory discount).
The Capitals (12-4-1, in the Metropolitan Division) have surprised a lot of experts with their quick start, aided by a 5-2-0 road record.
They won at Colorado 5-2 on Friday night, then rode Alexander Ovechkin’s hat trick in a 5-2 win against the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday night. They return home for a short homestand after Monday night’s game.
Ovechkin now has 866 goals, 29 from surpassing The Great One as the NHL career leader. It was his 31st career hat trick and his 176th career multigoal game, behind only Gretzky’s 189. Ovechkin also extended his record to 315 power-play goals.
Both goals also were his first against former Capitals goalie Ilya Samsonov.
- WHO: Washington Capitals at Utah Hockey Club
- WHERE: Delta Center, Salt Lake City
- WHEN: 9 p.m. ET Monday
- TV: ESPN+ (introductory discount)
Showing he’s not simply an offensive player, Ovechkin saved a goal in the second period when he got his stick on Ivan Barbashev’s open-net shot. That allow the Capitals to remain in front 3-2.
Jakob Chychrun and Jakub Vrana also scored goals for the Capitals, and Dylan Strome and Aliaksei Protas each had two assists.
Logan Thompson stopped 40 shots against his former club.
Washington improved to 7-2-1 in its last 10 games.
Utah (7-7-3, in the Central Division) last played on Friday night, losing 4-2 to Vegas as William Karlsson scored twice in the final 73 seconds.
Logan Cooley and Mikhail Sergachev scored for Utah. Karel Vejmelka made 25 saves.
Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson (48) attempts to knock the puck away against the Vegas Golden Knights during the second period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)AP
Utah has a 4-3-1 record in home games so far this season.
Clayton Keller leads the Hockey Club with 15 points (6 goals, 9 assists) and Dylan Guenther is next with 14 points (7 goals, 7 assists).