Knights (5-0).“We’ve been able to win one here and there, but not go on a run,” Gibson said. “Hopefully, we can start stringing some together.”In the loss to the Golden Knights on Wednesday, Anaheim played without o

WASHINGTON (AP) Everyone around Alex Ovechkin had a hunch this was his night.His wife Jesper Bratt Jersey Kids , Nastya, had flown back from Moscow just in time. Coach Barry Trotz noticed Ovechkin was unusually quiet.By the time he scored the 599th goal of his career, Ovechkin sensed it, too. Less than four minutes into the second period of the Washington Capitals‘ game against the Winnipeg Jets, Ovechkin put back a rebound and skated into the spotlight as the latest member of the NHL’s 600-goal club.The Russian superstar scored twice to reach the milestone in typical Ovechkin fashion, becoming the fourth-fastest player in NHL history to 600 behind only Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Brett Hull.”When I score 599, I felt like, `OK I still have to make a push two periods,”’ Ovechkin said. ”Finally, I scored.”Ovechkin’s rebound goal past Connor Hellebuyck 3:53 into the second period was his 42nd of the season as he tries to hit 50 for the eighth time. His first goal 4:35 into the first period came on a 5-on-3 power play as the Russian winger looked determined to reach 600 after several games on the doorstep.”He knew he was going to get it done today,” Trotz said after the Capitals’ 3-2 overtime victory . ”The great thing about Ovi is when he puts something to it in his mind, he was going to get it done.”Capitals fans who have watched Ovechkin shine as the most productive goal scorer of the past decade-plus gave him a standing ovation for almost a minute after he reached the mark. Chants of ”Ovi! Ovi!” continued as he waved from the bench in the moments after and during a video montage at the next timeout.After scoring 33 goals in 2016-17, his second-lowest total in a non-lockout-shortened season, the 32-year-old Ovechkin’s resurgence made his climb to 600 all the more impressive. No player 32 or older has led the NHL in goals since Phil Esposito in 1974-75.”He’s the best goal scorer probably of my time, definitely, and a generation,” said linemate Tom Wilson, who had the primary assist on Ovechkin’s 600th. ”It’s on us if we don’t get him the puck. It’s a little bit of pressure, definitely Leo Komarov Jersey Womens , but you just go out there and play your game and it was one of those things that was just going to happen. He’s too good not to hit that milestone.”Greeting Ovechkin the locker room, owner Ted Leonsis took the moment to express his gratitude for 600 goals over the past 13 seasons.”I told him I loved him and respected him and was very grateful and appreciated everything he’s done for the fans and for our team and looking forward to the next 100 goals,” Leonsis said. ”We should never take Alex for granted. It’s really remarkable what he’s accomplished.”Ovechkin recaptured sole possession of the NHL lead against Jets winger Patrik Laine, who scored his 41st of the season to attempt to keep pace with his idol. Even while hoping Ovechkin wouldn’t score No. 600 against Winnipeg, Laine can’t help but appreciate the scoring pace.”That’s pretty amazing to reach that,” Laine said Monday morning. ”Six-hundred goals in under 1,000 games, it’s pretty unreal.”Two former Capitals teammates, Matt Hendricks and Mathieu Perreault, were watching from the Jets’ side when Ovechkin reached his latest round number in a career full of accomplishments.”When I played here, it’s funny, you always want to get the puck on his stick,” said Hendricks, who was in the penalty box for Ovechkin’s first goal. ”He has that ability to change games just like that. … Ovi’s a terrific talent.”Perreault, who played with 684-goal scorer Teemu Selanne in Anaheim, said Ovechkin reaching 600 so quickly was indescribable.”The way he can shoot the puck and score goals is beyond what you can even think about,” Perreault said. ”I can tell my grandkids, my kids, I played with Ovechkin. He’s going to be a legend of the game.”Ovechkin has been an impressive scorer for a long time, but had to adapt his game several years ago when opponents figured out how to stop some of his usual moves. Barry Trotz taking over as Capitals coach helped Ovechkin round out his overall game and avoid the kind of lull that goal-scorers typically hit when they turn 30.”It’s very Womens Kyle Palmieri Jersey , very unique and unusual for a player of Alex’s vintage to be staring 50 goals in the face,” Leonsis said.The growth in Ovechkin’s game isn’t lost on players and coaches around the league who have watched his career.”When he came in (he was) a hitter almost – a shooter and a hitter,” Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice said. ”He was a very physical player, covered an awful lot of ice during the games. And he’s matured into kind of picking his spots, he’s still a hard guy to play against, physically very, very strong.”But he uses the people around him better, maybe. And that’s true of all players. But his game has really changed. He’s really grown and matured.”— Look for the Anaheim Ducks and Toronto Maple to stick with their strengths Friday night at Honda Center.The Ducks (8-9-3) have been one of the toughest teams to score against in recent seasons, while the Maple Leafs (13-6-0) have featured one of the top-scoring offenses.Anaheim had the third-lowest goals-against average in the NHL last season at 2.55, but the Maple Leafs combined for 10 goals in a two-game sweep of the Ducks. Toronto tied for third in the NHL last season at 3.29 goals per game.Article continues below ...Anaheim hasn’t been as stingy this season. The Ducks are 11th in the league in GAA (2.85), but they continue to feature one of the league’s top goaltenders in John Gibson.The Maple Leafs, meanwhile, have become stronger on offense thanks to the addition of explosive center John Tavares. They’ve also tightened up on defense behind former Anaheim goalie Frederik Andersen.Andersen, who was drafted in the third round by the Ducks in 2012 and played his first three NHL seasons in Anaheim, has built some of the best numbers in the league this season. After making 42 saves Thursday night in a 5-3 victory at the San Jose Sharks, backup goalie Garret Sparks will start against the Ducks.Gibson and Andersen alternated starts for Anaheim during the 2015-16 season before the Ducks traded Andersen to Toronto in June 2016, making Gibson their No. 1 goalie. Anaheim signed Gibson to an eight-year contraction extension last summer.The Ducks have been very successful this season when holding opponents to two regulation goals or fewer, owning an 8-0-2 record in those situations, compared to 0-8-1 when they don’t.The main issue for Anaheim has been consistency, Gibson said.The Ducks started the season 5-1-1 http://www.officialbluejackets.com/authentic-adidas-david-savard-jersey , marking the fifth time in franchise history they accumulated at least 11 points through the first seven games. Anaheim followed that run by losing seven in a row, however, one shy of the franchise record.Since ending the losing streak, the Ducks have alternated wins and losses over the past six games. They posted impressive one-goal victories against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Calgary Flames and Nashville Predators, only to lose their following game to the Los Angeles Kings (4-1), Minnesota Wild (5-1) and Vegas Golden Knights (5-0).“We’ve been able to win one here and there, but not go on a run,” Gibson said. “Hopefully, we can start stringing some together.”In the loss to the Golden Knights on Wednesday, Anaheim played without one of their top defensemen, Cam Fowler. He was struck in the face with the puck late in the third period against the Predators on Monday and sustained multiple fractures that will sideline him several weeks.The Ducks will likely start three rookie defensemen against Toronto, which is averaging 3.50 goals — good for third in the NHL.A big reason for the slight increase in offensive production this season has been the addition of Tavares, a five-time NHL All-Star who left the New York Islanders on July 1 and signed a seven-year, $77 million contract with the Maple Leafs.Tavares scored the first goal Thursday night against the Sharks, giving him five goals and 10 points in a seven-game point streak.