Alex Ovechkin scored twice to pass Wayne Gretzky for the most road goals in NHL history and lead the Washington Capitals to a 5-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Alex Ovechkin scored twice to pass Wayne Gretzky for the most road goals in NHL history and the Washington Capitals beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-1 on Tuesday night.
Ovechkin scored 403 of his 793 career goals away from home. The overall record belongs to Gretzky – 894.
Anthony Manta had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (10-11-3). John Carlson and Martin Fehervari also scored, while Darcy Kuemper stopped 31 shots.
Nils Hoaglander scored for the Canucks (9-11-3), who have won three straight. Spencer Martin made 23 saves.
Ovechkin nearly completed a hat trick when Vancouver pulled Martin for an extra skater with just over six minutes remaining, but his rocket flew wide of the post.
Instead, it was Fehervari who sealed it, driving the puck high into the Canucks’ zone and into an empty net at 15:57 of the third period.
Ovechkin got ahead of Gretzky 11:52 into the first, firing a solo shot from the left circle past Martin to give the Capitals a 2-0 lead and his 13th goal of the season.
The star forward scored his first of the night at 5:35, taking the puck off the stick of Vancouver defenseman Quinn Hughes near the net and putting away a quick shot.
It was Ovechkin’s 135th career goal, tied with Jaromir Jagr for the most in NHL history.
Karlsson scored the lone goal of the second with a low puck at 18:47 to give Washington a 4-1 cushion.
NOTES: Washington’s Lars Eller had his 200th career assist. … Canucks forward JT Miller had an assist, extending his point streak to nine games (four goals, seven assists). … The Capitals swept the season series by two games. … Vancouver assigned winger Vasyl Podkolzin and defenseman Jack Rathbone to the Abbotsford Canucks on Monday and recalled forward Philip Di Giuseppe from the American Hockey League club on Tuesday.
FURTHER
Washington: At Seattle on Thursday for the second of a five-game road trip.
Vancouver: Hosts Florida on Thursday in the second of a four-game home stretch.
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