Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals resume their season with a rivalry game against the host Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.
Washington, which earned points in six straight games (3-0-3) before the 4-Nations Face-off break, leads the Carolina Hurricanes by 10 points for first place in the Metropolitan Division, and is nine points ahead of the Florida Panthers for first in the Eastern Conference. The Capitals trail the Winnipeg Jets by one point for first in the NHL standings.
Despite their place in the standings, Washington did not have a player competing in the 4-Nations event, giving the entire team a lengthy rest.
“But it’s still 20-something games left,” Ovechkin said. “We can’t look forward too far. We’re just going to take it game by game and it’s nice to be back and fresh.”
Ovechkin has 879 goals during his 20 NHL seasons, including 26 goals in 39 games this season, leaving him 16 from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s league record of 894. The Capitals have 27 games remaining.
“I think this is going to be his best hockey of the year, these last 27 games,” coach Spencer Carbery said Friday. “I think you’re going to see a guy that is highly, highly motivated and just has the pedal to the metal for this last little stretch.”
Ovechkin said earlier this week his focus is on staying healthy and getting ready for the playoffs.
The Washington captain has had plenty of offensive help. Dylan Strome leads the team in assists (38) and points (54). Tom Wilson (24) and Aliaksei Protas (22) are 20-goal scorers and Connor McMichael has 19. Logan Thompson has starred in goal, posting a 24-2-5 record with a 2.23 goals-against average and .921 save percentage.
Meanwhile, Pittsburgh is trying to remain in the playoff hunt. It lost two of three before the break and sits in eighth place in the Eastern Conference wild-card race, though only six points behind the second-place Detroit Red Wings. The Penguins open with five of their first six games at home including the back-to-back this weekend against Washington and the New York Rangers.
The Penguins will get a boost Saturday with the return of forward Evgeni Malkin, who is set to play against Washington after missing six straight contests with a lower-body injury going into the break.
“Ready to play, for sure,” Malkin said. “I mean, I expected to play in the last game against the Rangers, but it’s a little bit dangerous and I know we have 10 days of a break. It helped to recover 100 percent. Yeah, Saturday, for sure. We have what, 25 games left? A big push for us, and I’m excited to be back.”
Malkin, 38, has nine goals and 25 points in 47 games.
“Of course, I (do) not feel great about my season and (the team’s season). But still, it’s not over,” he said. “Everything can change quick.”
Sidney Crosby returns to the Penguins from the 4 Nations Face-Off after winning yet another championship to go along with two Olympic Gold Medals and three Stanley Cups among others. The 37-year-old had a goal and four assists while playing with an apparent injury to his left arm or wrist.
Forward Bryan Rust, who missed the last game before the break with a lower-body injury, also expects to play on Saturday.
