Sometimes divorces end in happiness for both partners. That’s what happened with the Ottawa Senators and Jakob Chychrun, who are separately thriving this season, writes Alex Adams.
TOP PERFORMERS: Adam Gaudette has scored 14 goals with five assists for the Senators. Ridly Greig has three goals and one assist over the last 10 games. Pierre-Luc Dubois has seven goals and 27 assists for the Capitals. Tom Wilson has six goals and three assists over the last 10 games.
It took a great goal scorer to end the impasse between the Washington Capitals and Ottawa Senators on Thursday. After a scoreless 60 minutes, Alex Ovechkin scored the overtime winner for the Capitals in a 1-0 win over the host Senators.
The Washington Capitals, with Tom Wilson, will be on the ice Thursday at 7:00 PM ET, against the Ottawa Senators. Fancy a bet on Wilson in the Capitals-Senators matchup? Use our stats and information to help you.
Merilainen, who played for Allen of the ECHL and Belleville of the American Hockey League in 2023-24 and began this season as the Senators' fourth-string goaltender, is the second goalie in Ottawa history, joining Andrew Hammond, to record multiple shutout wins in his first 10 NHL games.
After a scoreless 60 minutes, of course it was Alex Ovechkin to lift the Capitals in the three-on-three extra period.
Opening faceoff is at 7 p.m. ET and you can watch it on ESPN+ ( plans start at $11.99/month). Washington (29-10-5, in the Metropolitan Division) last played on Tuesday night and beat visiting Anaheim 3-0 as Logan Thompson stopped all 19 shots. The Capitals are 6-1-3 in their last 10 games.
The 39-year-old winger took a pass from Rasmus Sandin on a 2-on-1 breakaway and fired it past rookie Leevi Merilainen, the record 179th goaltender he's scored on.
The Ottawa Senators fell short against the NHL-leading Washington Capitals in Thursday's 1-0 overtime loss, but proved they can hold their own against the best.
Alex Ovechkin scored at 3:07 of overtime to lift the visiting Washington Capitals over the Ottawa Senators 1-0 on Thursday night.