For the net

On Wednesday night, the Washington Capitals made history (again).

They also made that history through franchise icon Alexander Ovechkin (again).

Aside from playing a role in a lopsided 6-1 home win over the St. Louis Blues, he became the first player in NHL history to hit 900 career goals.

The caps snapping their four game winless streak is celebratory enough, but Ovechkin’s heroics serve as a cherry on top.

With all that being said, let’s dive into this game and dissect ALL of its celebratory highlights.

The Big Moment

Just 2:39 into the second period, The great 8 pounced on a rebound off Jakob Chychrun’s shot. In a show of pure instinct, Ovechkin tucked a backhander past Jordan Binnington to net his 900th.

As one can imagine, the Capitals bench emptied in celebration. Fittingly, it felt like a coronation for arguably the greatest goal scorer the game has ever seen.

Considering that it occurred at home in front of family and fans, Ovechkin regarded the goal as “A special moment”.

Caps find their groove

After a rough stretch, Washington came out firing.

Tom Wilson opened the scoring in the first period by tipping in a John Carlson shot on the power play.

The second period was purely run by the Capitals, consisting of:

• Ovi’s milestone goal.

• Anthony Beauvillier faking a wrist shot, then going backhand to make it 3-0.

• Carlson spinning in the slot for a beautiful turnaround snap shot to beat Binnington.

• Beauvillier striking again late in the period to put Washington up 5-0.

Washington finished things off in the third when Wilson notched his second of the game off a rebound.

Supporting Cast Heroics

This wasn’t just a one-man show. Beauvillier, Wilson, Carlson, and Chychrun were all instrumental (With Chychrun tallying three assists).

On the defensive side, the breakout was clean and cohesive. Chychrun’s puck-moving helped to jump start transitions, and the whole team seemed locked in.

Goaltender Logan Thompson was solid, making the 23 saves that helped steady the cap’s ship.

What this Win Means

This result couldn’t have come at a better time. The capitals were in a slump, and a blowout win like this has fully put them back on track.

In regards to Ovechkin, his milestone marker is more than just a marker—it’s a legacy defining achievement. Landmarks like this are very rare, and the Cap’s reacted to it appropriately.

Although, it wasn’t all about the Russian Veteran. So much of the Cap’s roster stepped up when they were called upon. That type of depth, along with the contribution that comes with it, will be a huge weapon for the team. Especially towards the back end of the season.

The Blues have got the Blues

St. Louis had a rough night. Their offense couldn’t find traction, and Binnington was replaced by Joel Hofer after allowing four goals on just 15 shots.

The lone shining light for the Blues came from Alexey Toropchenko, who scored a short-handed goal early in the third.

It’s been a tough stretch: they’ve now lost eight of their last nine games. Clearly, a regrouping strategy is required.

What’s Next?

If Washington can ride the energy from this game, they’ll definitely turn a corner. Momentum must be built.

As for Ovi, the 900-goal club is now his alone. But two questions still persist: Exactly how much higher can he go? Whats next for a legend that loves to rewrite history books?

The bottom line is: It was a night with a focus on the themes of jubilation, history, and redemption.

The Capitals came alive, Ovechkin even further cemented his legacy, and the blues were left with more questions than answers.

This wasn’t just a win—it was a Capital W.