Washington – Alex Ovechkin and Washington’s capital have become the NHL’s first team to get a place in the playoffs this season, doing it after winning their 69th match and getting the help they needed elsewhere in the League.
They have been the only team since the playoffs extended to 16 teams in 1979-1980 to be the first to win after being the last to go the previous season.
“Our goal was to make the playoffs this year,” said Ovechkin after having scored his 888th career objective to help beat Philadelphia 3-2. “It’s difficult. Each match is difficult, especially at the end because each team fights. This is why at the beginning of the year and in the middle of the year, it is very important to (be) collected the points and feel comfortable at the end. Last year, it took us 82 games to get it and since 20 games last year, it was already qualifiers for us.
Ovechkin, Tom Wilson, John Carlson and the heart of the list are still intact. The off-season acquisitions of Center Pierre-Luc Dubois, wingers Andrew Mangiapane, Taylor Radady and Brandon Duhaime, defenders Jakob Chychrun and Matt Roy and goalkeeper Logan Thompson all worked as well.
Capitals are at the top of the NHL with 100 points, leading the eastern conference by 13 and heading for the playoffs.
“It was great,” said Mangiapane. “Obviously, I think we have a really deep team: the four lines are great hockey players, the D agreements, all make games and our two net guards were great. It’s a really deep team, and that’s why I think we were coherent throughout the year. Each day, every player could intervene and make big games to help us win matches.”
