WASHINGTON (AP) — Keeping Alex Ovechkin from making more hockey history was little consolation for the Detroit Red Wings after failing to stop their ongoing skid.
Nic Dowd scored twice in 11 seconds and assisted on Dmitry Orlov’s overtime winner to help the Washington Capitals hand the Red Wings their sixth consecutive loss, 4-3 Monday night with Ovechkin still waiting for his next major milestone.
“We played much more of our identity: hard to play against,” captain Dylan Larkin said. “We battled. It was like a playoff game tonight. It goes to 3-on-3 overtime, we don’t get the extra point. It’s frustrating, but we’re trying not to get too down on this effort because we feel it was a positive effort.”
Detroit has lost nine of its past 11 and fell to 2-7 in overtime this season. But players and coach Derek Lalonde were almost relieved to escape Washington with a point thanks to the play of goaltender Ville Husso, who stopped 39 of the 42 shots he faced.
Three of those saves came against Ovechkin, who for a third consecutive game was unable to score his 801st goal and tie Gordie Howe for second on the NHL career list. He remained stuck on 800 with Howe’s sons Mark and Marty in attendance and thinking it would be fitting if Ovechkin tied their father’s mark against his longtime team, with which he played 25 seasons.
“I don’t that was as much to do with our 5-on-5 play than it was Ville Husso,” Lalonde said. “Ovi still got his looks, two Grade-A slot chances in the third. I’ve played against him enough now, when he’s feeling it, it feels like he’s going downhill at times. He’s tough and (he) was tonight, but I think our guys for the most part did a pretty good job with it.”
Even without a goal from Ovechkin, the Capitals will take the victory on Orlov’s goal with 21.3 seconds left in 3-on-3 overtime, especially after playing without winger T.J. Oshie and falling behind 2-0.
“I thought our guys did a good job handling the adversity,” coach Peter Laviolette said.
Erik Gustafsson scored in the third period, his fourth in the past two games. And Orlov completed the comeback in a feisty game that included some scuffles and the crowd getting into it.
“I don’t know if we’ve had one of those (kind of games) in our building this year,” said Dowd, whose goals were the second-fastest back to back by the same player in franchise history. “To come from behind and then come from behind again the very next shift and then win in overtime, especially like that — that was one of our biggest crowds of the year — that felt really good for our team.”
David Perron, Oskar Sundqvist and Lucas Raymond scored in regulation for Detroit. Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren stopped 16 of the 19 shots he faced in his eighth consecutive start.
NOTES: The Red Wings took part in a three-team, minor league trade prior to the NHL’s holiday roster freeze, in which they received center Danny O’Regan from Anaheim, sent winger Givani Smith to Florida and the Ducks got veteran defenseman Michael Del Zotto from the Panthers. … The Capitals say winger T.J. Oshie is day to day with an upper-body injury. Oshie left the game Saturday in pain and has not skated with the team since. … Darcy Kuemper was in uniform backing up Lindgren for the first time since getting injured Dec. 3.
UP NEXT
Red Wings: Host the the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday.
Capitals: Visit the Ottawa Senators on Thursday.
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Follow AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno
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