Putting together a competitive third line will be one of the major challenges for new coach Mike Sullivan when the Rangers convene at training camp in September. Our Tom Castro writes that two of the Blueshirts’ most recent first-round draft picks, Brennan Othmann (2021) and Gabe Perreault (2023), could be keys to solving that problem.

Neither player has scored an NHL goal, but both have plenty of talent and figure to get every opportunity to find a role on Broadway – perhaps as wings flanking 24-year-old center Juuso Parssinen.

One thing is for certain: If the Rangers are to return to the playoffs this season, they need to put together a third line that can be effective at both ends of the ice.

New York Rangers

Forever Blueshirts: Are the Rangers finished their offseason remodeling job? Or is the real work just getting started? Our Ryan McInerney takes a look.

The third annual Shoulder Check Showcase is Thursday night in Stamford, Connecticut. There are plenty of current and former Rangers taking part in an event that has turned into an offseason destination for a number of players. CLICK HERE for more information about the Shoulder Check Showcase and movement.

NHL Trade Talk & News

NHL.com: Will this be the final NHL season for Alex Ovechkin, who passed Wayne Gretzky late last season to become the League’s all-time leading goal-scorer? There have been rumblings that Ovi, who turns 40 on Sept. 17, will return to Russia to finish out his career, but teammate Dylan Strome doesn’t necessarily think that’s the case. Of course, Strome has a vested interest in Ovechkin remaining in Washington: The 28-year-old set NHL career highs in goals (29), assists (53) and points (82) in 2024-25 while primarily playing center on Ovechkin’s line.

TSN: A judge in London, Ontario, on Thursday acquitted all five former members of Canada’s world junior hockey team on all charges in their sexual assault trial. Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube and Callan Foote all pleaded not guilty to sexual assault in an encounter that took place in a London hotel room in the early hours of June 19, 2018. Justice Maria Carroccia of the Ontario Court of Justice read her decision from the bench Thursday, nearly six weeks after the trial came to a close. She said she “did not find the evidence of E.M. (the accuser, who was identified by initials only because of a publication ban) to be credible or reliable.”

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Our friend Dan Kingerski looks at the Pittsburgh Penguins’ top-five prospects. The Pens are coming off three straight non-playoff seasons and are trying to get younger while hoping the terrific trio of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang can help them return to the postseason.

The Athletic ($$): Gavin McKenna, the consensus No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft, spoke with Scott Wheeler about his decision to leave Medicine Hat of the Western Hockey League and play his draft season at Penn State. He’s busy training before leaving for Penn State in mid-August.

Philly Hockey Now: Speaking of kids leaving juniors for college, did Porter Martone, the Philadelphia Flyers’ top pick (No, 6 overall) in last month’s NHL Draft, make the right decision by opting to leave Brampton of the Ontario Hockey League and play at Michigan State? William James takes a look.

ESPN: It’s late July, but ESPN is already looking toward the new season with its first power rankings for 2025-26. Not surprisingly, the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers are on top. The Rangers are ranked No. 17.

The Hockey News: Forward Daniel Sprong, who’s played with seven NHL teams, is trying his luck in Russia. The 28-year-old signed a one-year deal with CSKA Moscow of the KHL. He split last season between the Seattle Kraken and New Jersey Devils.

So how many of those goals have been scored against the New York Rangers, one of Washington’s biggest rivals?

Ovi has played 76 regular-season games against the Rangers and scored 46 goals against New York, the fifth-most he’s scored against any NHL team. Of those 46 goals, more than half (24) were scored against Henrik Lundqvist. Only Marc-Andre Fleury (28) has surrendered more goals to Ovechkin than The King.

Next up on the list of Rangers is Alexandar Georgiev with eight goals, followed by Igor Shesterkin with five. 

Ovechkin scored the remaining nine goals against six different Rangers goalies: three were against Cam Talbot, two on Steve Valiquette and one goal each against Kevin Weekes, Antti Raanta, Keith Kinkaid and Jonathan Quick.

He’s scored 24 times at even strength against the Rangers, and 22 of his NHL-record 325 power-play goals have come against New York — as have two of his five career shorthanded goals.

Related: Peter Laviolette ‘really happy’ for Alex Ovechkin after reaching ‘massive record’

Noteworthy Alex Ovechkin goals scored against Rangers

Here are some notable goals Ovechkin has scored against the Rangers during his illustrious career.

Goal #1 – Oct. 10, 2005

In his first game against the Rangers and the fourth of his NHL career, Ovechkin found the back of the net. The then 20-year-old put a power-play goal past Weekes midway through the third period to give Washington a 3-2 win.

Goal #2 – Dec. 3, 2005

A little less than two months later, Ovechkin scored his first of 24 goals against Lundqvist and added three assists in the Capitals’ 5-1 victory. 

Goals #8 and #9 – Dec. 23, 2008

The Great 8’s first two-goal game against the Rangers came in his fourth season; his second goal of the night tied the game in the third period, and Washington went on to win in overtime.

Goal #16 – March 24, 2013

Ovechkin scored a goal and added an assist, but the game went to a shootout. Ovi scored his only career shootout goal against the Rangers, helping the Caps to a 3-2 victory.

Goals #25 and #26 – Jan. 9, 2016

Washington’s captain scored a power-play goal against Lundqvist, then connected for the overtime winner – the only one of his NHL-record 27 OT goals he’s scored against the Blueshirts.

Goals #31 and #32 – Oct. 17, 2018

Ovechkin’s two power-play goals marked the last time he scored against Lundqvist.

Goals #34 and #35 – March 5, 2020

Two third-period goals by Ovechkin, the second of which came with less than a minute remaining in regulation and sent the game to overtime, should get remembered, right? Instead, they are a mere footnote — that was the night Mika Zibanejad scored five goals, including the game-winner in overtime, for the Rangers.

Goal #46 – March 5, 2025

Ovechkin’s most recent goal against the Rangers came a little over a month before breaking Gretzky’s record, fittingly on the power play past Shesterkin. The goal was No. 885 in his brilliant career.

Ovechkin has 32 hat tricks and 65 empty net goals – surprisingly, none of either has come against the Rangers.

Alex Ovechkin vs. Rangers in Stanley Cup Playoffs

Though postseason goals are a separate category from regular-season goals, it’s still worth taking a look at how Ovechkin has fared against the Rangers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. New York and Washington have played six postseason series in the Ovechkin era. Four of the six series went the distance, a full seven games.

2009 – First Round (Washington won 4-3)

The Rangers jumped out to a 3-1 series lead, but Washington won the next three to take the series in seven games. Ovechkin scored three goals and added four assists, averaging a point per game in the series.

2011 — First Round (Washington won 4-1)

Ovechkin scored three goals and had three assists as the Capitals took care of the Rangers in five games.

2012 – Eastern Conference Semifinals (Rangers won 4-3)

For the first time in Ovechkin’s career, New York and Washington met outside of the first round, engaging in an exciting series that saw the Rangers win two overtime games. Ovechkin had three goals and an assist (scoring one goal in each Washington win), but failed to contribute a point in Game 7, which New York won 2-1.

2013 – First Round (Rangers won 4-3)

New York and Washington met again in the first round, and again the series went seven games. This time, the Capitals pulled off two overtime victories and took a 3-2 series lead. 

But their offense disappeared after that, as Lundqvist posted consecutive shutouts to clinch the series. Ovechkin went quiet after recording a goal and an assist in the first two games, failing to tally a point the rest of the series.

2015 – Eastern Conference Semifinals (Rangers won 4-3)

This seven-game set goes down as Ovechkin’s most iconic postseason matchup against the Blueshirts. After winning the Presidents’ Trophy as regular-season champion, New York trailed 3-1 in the series to Washington, and trailed by a goal in Game 5 with less than two minutes left in regulation. 

But Chris Kreider tied it with 1:41 remaining, then Ryan McDonough won it in overtime. The Rangers won Game 6 on the road, then returned home for Game 7 – another overtime thriller. Ovechkin scored the Capitals’ only goal, and Derek Stepan netted the series-winning goal in overtime for the Rangers. 

Ovechkin had three goals and an assist in the series.

2024 – First Round (Rangers won 4-0)

The Rangers made quick work of the Capitals in last year’s playoffs, sweeping them and keeping Ovechkin from making an impact. He did not have a point in the four games.

Not only have the Canadiens won five in a row, after edging the Nashville Predators 2-1 on Sunday, they’ve done so at the most important time of the season. Thus, they’re beginning to pull away from the Rangers, who wasted a month’s worth of chances when no one could seize hold of the second wild card in the Eastern Conference.

This is Montreal’s second five-game winning streak this season, and second since February. You know who hasn’t won five games in a row this season? The Rangers. In fact, they’ve won at least three straight just two times. Two. As in in one more than one. As in their last three-game winning streak was Nov. 14-19.

The Rangers’ inability to string together victories is one of their major undoings this season. They needed some serious winning streaks after that crushing 4-15-0 stretch in November and December. But they didn’t haveit in them. Their latest attempt at winning three consecutive games was a 4-0 faceplant of a loss to the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.

As such, the Rangers fell from two points out of the second wild card to six back this weekend.

Against all odds, the Rangers need to reverse course immediately, likely needing to win out over their final six games, beginning Monday at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Stay tuned … but don’t hold your breath.

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New York Rangers news

You may have heard — Alex Ovechkin scored his 895th career goal in a 4-1 Washington Capitals loss to the Islanders, passing Wayne Gretzky for most in NHL history.

Peter Laviolette coached Ovechkin for two seasons in Washington and said Sunday that he’s “really happy” for The Great 8 after he became the all-time goals leader.

Here’s a breakdown of the Rangers week ahead, when they probably need to win all four games with their playoff life hanging in the balance.

Gabe Perreault said he’s feeling “more settled in” after playing his first two NHL games with the Rangers.

Here are our winners and losers from the Rangers latest loss, 4-0 to the New Jersey Devils.

The Rangers were shredded by four different NHL analysts Saturday, including three who once played for the organization.

NHL news and rumors

Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin, who allowed Alex Ovechkin’s record-breaking 895th NHL goal, gave The Great 8 his goalie stick upon request after the game. What did he get in return from his fellow Russian comrade? “Respect,” said Sorokin, who stopped the other 28 shots he faced in the Isles’ win. Full story in NYI Hockey Now.

Lane Hutson’s assist Sunday against the Predators gives him 64 points this season, tying Chris Chelios for most points by a rookie defenseman in Canadiens history.

Aliaksei Protas, who has 30 goals this season, is week to week for the Capitals with a lower-body injury.

The banged-up Minnesota Wild are now without defenseman Jake Middleton, who’s day to day with an upper-body injury.

The Detroit Red Wings kept their slim playoff hopes alive — and pulled even with the Rangers for ninth place in the Eastern Conference — with a 2-1 win over the visiting Florida Panthers. Next up? A showdown with the Canadiens on Tuesday.

Going the opposite direction are the Columbus Blue Jackets, who’ve lost three in a row, — the last two by shutout. They were blanked 4-0 by the Ottawa Senators on Sunday, Ottawa’s second shutout win this weekend.

Marco Rossi’s goal 58 seconds into overtime lifted the Wild over the Dallas Stars 3-2.

The Vancouver Canucks look to be running out of time in the Western Conferenec playoff race after losing 3-2 to the Vegas Golden Knights.

Watch: NHL.com compiled every single one of Alex Ovechkin’s 895 regular-season goals.

“He’s an incredible goal scorer. If he puts the puck on net it’s got a chance of going in, and he puts it there often, he has his whole career,” Laviolette shared after Rangers practice Sunday. “Really happy for him. He was great to work with my time there in Washington and he’s done nothing but continue on his whole entire career just finding the back of the net. Like I said, it was only a matter of time before he got here.”

ALEX OVECHKIN IS THE GREATEST GOALSCORER IN NHL HISTORY! 🚨🚨🚨 #Gr8ness pic.twitter.com/NKef3VvNaJ

— NHL (@NHL) April 6, 2025

Laviolette coached Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals for two seasons from 2021-23. Ovechkin lit the lamp often with Laviolette behind the Capitals bench, scoring 50 goals in 77 games during the 2021-22 season and following up with 42 goals in 73 games the following season.

During that span, Ovechkin passed Gordie Howe for the second-most goals in NHL history, scoring No. 802 against the Winnipeg Jets in December of 2022.

“In my time there, he was working toward No. 2 and eventually got it. So, then it becomes more and more on the table (passing Gretzky for No. 1 all-time), and talked about more and looked at more,” Laviolette said. “Now, being away from it, [I’m] watching it from the outside. In that time there, it was a lot of fun watching that as he was chasing down No. 2.”

When Ovechkin dipped to 31 goals last season and then was completely shut down by the Rangers in their four-game sweep of the Capitals in the first-round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, many questioned if The Great 8 could catch Gretzky or if it would take a couple seasons to do so. In addition, there were concerns that his chase of an individual record might hamper the Capitals progression as a team.

The complete opposite happened this season. The Capitals (49-19-8) are the top team in the Eastern Conference and Ovechkin’s scored a whopping 42 goals in 61 games, despite missing 16 due to a fractured fibula earlier in the season. His chase of The Great One’s record captured the attention of hockey fans worldwide, and he roared to the finish line, scoring six goals in his past five games.

Wayne Gretzky's speech as he passes the torch to the NHL's newest goals King, Alex Ovechkin 🐐 pic.twitter.com/DrEiRWxZ3O

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 6, 2025

After tying Gretzky by scoring a pair Friday against the Chicago Blackhawks, Ovechkin scored a power-play goal from his office in the left circle at 7:26 of the second period against Islanders goalie — and fellow Russian — Ilya Sorokin to break what was long considered to be an unbreakable record.

“It’s big news inside the League, too, everyone keeps an eye on it, everybody’s tuned into it,” Laviolette explained. “It’s a massive record, it’s the biggest record, it’s a home run type record. For that reason, everyone watches it.”

To that end, Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper and general manager Julien BriseBois — in town to play the Rangers on Monday — attended the game on Long Island on Sunday to witness history first-hand.

Related: Rangers week ahead includes biggest 4-game stretch of season

Rangers trying to keep playoff hopes alive despite falling 6 points out of second wild card

Laviolette couldn’t be there because he was on the ice with the Rangers, who face a hugely important four-game week, beginning against the Lightning. The Rangers (36-33-7) are six points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference with six games to play. To Keep their playoff hopes alive, the Rangers just may have to sweep all four games this week and possibly win out.

That’s going to be difficult, especially because the Rangers haven’t won more than two straight games in five months, not since a three-game winning streak Nov. 14-19.

They were shut out by the New Jersey Devils 4-0 on Saturday, a demoralizing defeat and third in four games against their Hudson River rivals this season.

Laviolette is on the hot seat, just as he was following his second season with the Capitals. He guided Washington to a playoff berth in 2021-22, but the Capitals finished sixth in the eight-team Metropolitan Division the following season, and he was fired.

The Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy and set franchise records for wins (55) and points (114) last season, in Year 1 under Laviolette. They reached the Eastern Conference Final and were two wins away from playing in the Stanley Cup Final.

Now, it’d take a monster finish to even qualify as the eighth seed in the East. Which is unlikely. Leaving Laviolette’s future in doubt the coming weeks.

Yes, they lost when they couldn’t afford to do so, 4-0 to the New Jersey Devils. And, yes, the Montreal Canadiens piled on by rallying for a 3-2 home win against the Philadelphia Flyers later in the evening. That leaves the Rangers (36-33-7) four points back of the Canadiens for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference with six games to play.

It’s a tough spot, no doubt. But not impossible. If the Rangers, say, go 4-2-0 and the Canadiens 2-4-0 down the stretch, the Rangers are in. Each team would have 87 points, but the Rangers would own the tiebreaker with more regulation wins, the first tiebreaker.

That’s certainly doable.

However, that means the Canadiens need to cooperate. They’ve won four in a row and have some mojo going right now. They also have an easier schedule over the final six games.

The Rangers are capable of winning four of six, though they’ve struggled all season stringing wins together. They still have the Islanders and Flyers on the schedule, but there’s no question they have a tougher road ahead than the Canadiens.

This all may become moot if the Canadiens defeat the Predators in Nashville on Sunday. That’s a game the Canadiens must win, against a broken team shockingly out of playoff contention long ago. But the Predators still have Steven Stamkos and Juuse Saros, and there’s enough talent there to give the Rangers hope.

It feels like a fifth straight Canadiens win Sunday, giving them a six-point lead with a week and a half to play, could be the end of this playoff chase for the Rangers.

But the way this turtle derby for the final playoff spot has gone most of the past month, a Canadiens loss wouldn’t be shocking, making that Rangers game Monday at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning crucial.

One day at a time. First up, Canadiens vs. Predators on Sunday.

Subscribe to the RINK RAP podcast at Forever Blueshirts YouTube page

New York Rangers news

Here are three Rangers takeaways from the 4-0 loss in New Jersey, including power outage continues — and costs.

Our breakdown of the winners and losers from the Rangers latest loss includes a rough afternoon for Vincent Trocheck.

The Rangers were absolutely lit up by several NHL analysts, including three incredulous former Blueshirt players, after that 4-0 loss to Devils.

In an extremely disappointing season, at least Will Cuylle has played above expectations and continued to improve in his sophomore season for the Rangers.

NHL news and rumors

Is Sunday the day Alex Ovechkin breaks the all-time NHL goals record he now shares with Wayne Gretzky? The Washington Capitals visit the New York Islanders at UBS Arena in a 12:30 matinee and all eyes will be focused on the Great 8, who’s scored five goals in his past four games, including two against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday to pull even with the Great One at 894 goals.

Here’s a real good piece from Russ Macias at NYI Hockey Now about how the Islanders are approaching trying to win a game and stop Ovechkin from achieving history.

Matthew Tkachuk is still “a ways away” from returning to the Florida Panthers lineup because of a lower-body injury, but he should be back in time for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The hottest team in the NHL won again; the St. Louis Blues set a franchise record with their 12th straight victory by holding off the Colorado Avalanche 5-4.

The freefalling Columbus Blue Jackets continue to play their way out of the East playoff race with a 5-0 road loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Toronto’s Auston Matthews became the first U.S.-born player with nine 30-goal seasons in the NHL when he netted his 30th in the win.

Anton Forsberg made 40 saves and the surging Ottawa Senators blanked the Panthers 3-0.

Darcy Kuemper is now 18-2-2 on home ice after his 3-0 shutout victory for the Los Angeles Kings over the Edmonton Oilers.

Sidney Crosby’s hat trick lifted the Pittsburgh Penguins to a surprising 5-3 win over the Dallas Stars.

David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie had five points apiece and the Boston Bruins ended a 10-game skid (0-9-1) with a 5-1 win against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Former Rangers forward Reilly Smith scored twice, including the game-winner in overtime, to lead the Vegas Golden Knights past the Calgary Flames 3-2.

Watch Smith get a couple fortunate bounces on his OT goal against the Flames.

Though Sidney — still referred to as Cindy by many of the Blueshirts Faithful — is probably more disliked by Rangers fans, neither superstar is particularly welcome at Madison Square Garden. That each plays for a division rival and there’ve been a fair share of playoff meetings over the years against Crosby and Ovechkin fuels the fire.

It can be argued that Crosby is more of a villain in the eyes of Rangers fans than Ovechkin. Perhaps that’s because he’s won the Stanley Cup three times, part of a mini-Pittsburgh Penguins dynasty, at the expense of the Rangers. Maybe New Yorkers more appreciate the locomotive-like ferocity in Ovechkin’s game or his cannon shot.

Bottom line. Each has abused the Rangers for years.

But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t appreciate greatness when it’s before us. And each of these players is great. However, let’s focus here on Ovechkin, who tied Wayne Gretzky’s record for most goals in NHL history Friday night, scoring twice against the Chicago Blackhawks to reach the magic 894 total of The Great One.

OVI HAS TIED WAYNE GRETZKY FOR MOST GOALS ALL TIME WITH CAREER GOAL #894 🚨 pic.twitter.com/wRQ5uv7s5B

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 5, 2025

Ovechkin is 39 years old and sustained a fractured fibula earlier in the season, missing 16 games because of the injury. Yet he has 41 goals in 60 games. That’s an absurd scoring rate, without even factoring in his age or that this is his 20th season in the NHL. And he’s coming to the wire like the thoroughbred he is. With the end of the regular season two weeks away and the pressure on to catch Gretzky, Ovechkin has five goals in his past four games, six in six, and eight in his past 10. He could’ve — should’ve — scored four or more against Spencer Knight and Co. on Friday.

Ovechkin is not only still scoring goals, he’s dominating games for the first-place Capitals. That’s nothing new. He owns the NHL record for scoring 40+ goals three times since the age of 35, He’s now scored 40+ goals 14 times in his career, another NHL record.

A picture that says 894 words 🔥

(GETTY/John McCreary) pic.twitter.com/XlyJEFJbWf

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 5, 2025

Quite simply, he’s a machine on the ice. Just think, it was only a year ago many of us questioned if The Great 8 was nearing the end. He scored “only” 31 goals in 79 games last season and looked like a shell of himself when the Rangers swept the Capitals in the first-round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

It was even debated how much he’d drag a young Capitals team down while chasing Gretzky’s goal mark. It could take two seasons at his declining rate to get the 42 he needed, all at the expense of team growth and success.

Wrong.

The Capitals (49-18-9) are tops in the Eastern Conference with 107 points, one behind the Winnipeg Jets in the Presidents’ Trophy race. And Ovechkin is, well, Ovechkin again.

If you’re a hockey fan — Rangers fan or not — you’ve got to appreciate historic greatness. You’ve got to appreciate Alex Ovechkin.

Catch the latest RINK RAP podcast talking Gabe Perreault debut, full K’Andre Miller experience & more, at the Forever Blueshirts YouTube page.

New York Rangers news

In a Forever Blueshirts exclusive, Marty Biron details his relationship with Rangers legend Henrik Lundqvist, goaltending partners and, eventually, close friends, on Broadway.

Here are three things to watch for when the Rangers seek their third straight win in a matinee Saturday against the New Jersey Devils.

In the latest Rangers injury update, Matt Rempe is nearing a return from his upper-body issue and Mika Zibanejad skipped practice because of an illness.

Breaking down how Braden Schneider is emerging as a leader among the next core of young Rangers.

NHL news and rumors

Wayne Gretzky was present at Capital One Arena when Alex Ovechkin tied his all-time goals record, and The Great One explained why it’s important he be there to support and salute The Great 8.

Leon Draisaitl won’t play for the Edmonton Oilers in their crucial clash with the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday and is out indefinitely with an undisclosed injury. However, the NHL goal-scoring leader is expected back before the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The surging St. Louis Blues will be without forward Dylan Holloway; he’s week to week with a lower-body injury.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will be missing defenseman Jake McCabe and forward David Kampf when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday. Each is day to day with an undisclosed injury.

As if the Vancouver Canucks don’t have enough injuries, defenseman Tyler Myers iikely won’t play Saturday against the Anaheim Ducks after getting “banged up” earlier in the week against the Seattle Kraken.

The Islanders ended a six-game skid (0-4-2) with a 3-1 home-ice win against the Minnesota Wild, keeping their very slim playoff hopes alive for another day.

Similarly, the Detroit Red Wings remained afloat with a 5-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes.

Watch the Chicago Blackhawks line up to show respect to Alex Ovechkin.

Watch the press conference as Ovechkin and Gretzky meet with the media together Friday night.

However, an impromptu regular-season handshake line took place Thursday night at Xcel Energy Center.

Filip Gustavsson picked up the win in the Minnesota Wild’s 4-2 victory over the Washington Capitals, but as the Caps headed for the locker room, Alex Ovechkin waved them back on the ice to shake hands with Minnesota’s backup goalie.

Legend recognize legend 🤝

Alex Ovechkin brought the Capitals back onto the ice to shake hands with Marc-André Fleury in their last matchup 👏💐 pic.twitter.com/UMnhZ2pptM

— ESPN (@espn) March 28, 2025

With Marc-Andre Fleury set to retire at the end of this season, Thursday night marked the final matchup between Ovechkin and Fleury in their long-running personal rivalry. As the Wild celebrated their win, Ovechkin and the rest of the Capitals lined up on their side of the red line.

Fleury skated over, shook hands with the line-leader Ovechkin, then made his way down the rest of the line.

“I think he deserves all the accolades that he’s gotten. He continues to play well. I think he’s been a great teammate everywhere that he’s been,” Wild coach John Hynes said about Fleury. “He’s been a tremendous competitor to compete against. And obviously the quality of a human being that he is, all those things combined, I think we’re witnessing in part of a Hall of Fame player, a Hall of Fame person.”

Fleury will go down as one of the greatest goaltenders the NHL has ever seen; he’s third in NHL history for the most career wins by a goalie, including playoffs, with 665. Along the way, he’s also hoisted the Stanley Cup three times with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and won the Vezina Trophy in the 2020-21 season with the Vegas Golden Knights.

“Fleury’s played a lot of games in this league and has had some really good series with the Caps,” Washington forward Dylan Strome said postgame. “It’s one of those things where you’ve just got to respect greatness and Fleury’s been great his whole career.”

Related: Why Rangers shouldn’t replace Peter Laviolette with John Tortorella as coach

Postgame gesture provides storybook ending to Alex Ovechkin – Marc-Andre Fleury rivalry

Ovechkin and Fleury, two future first ballot Hall of Famers, played key roles in the marquee NHL rivalry of the late 2000s and early 2010s between the Capitals and Penguins. The respect is there between the two hockey legends.

“Obviously, he’s one of the best goalies to ever play,” Ovechkin said before the game Thursday. “It was a pretty good battle out there between me and him … It’s almost 20 years that we’ve played against each other. Pittsburgh, Vegas, it’s been an honor to play against him.”

As the faces of the NHL, Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby fostered an iconic rivalry between the Penguins and Capitals, often matching up in the playoffs for much-anticipated series.

“Those were the games I loved playing because the intensity was always high and the atmosphere in the building, both sides, was always good too,” Fleury said.

Pittsburgh often got the best of Washington; the Penguins defeated the Capitals three separate times in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, each time en-route to winning the Stanley Cup later in the postseason.

In 2018, the Capitals finally got their revenge, defeating the Penguins in six games in the second round on their way to winning the first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history. But Fleury was not a part of the second-round series – he had been scooped up by Vegas in the 2017 expansion draft.

But that meant he was the losing goalie in the Cup Final, because Washington bested Vegas in five games, despite Fleury’s heroics. Ovechkin tallied three goals and two assists in the series.

While Fleury’s been receiving accolades throughout this season as he makes his final lap through the League, Ovechkin’s been front and center in his chase to become the all-time goals leader in NHL history. He currently sits six away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894 goals with 10 games remaining on the Capitals schedule this season.

For the record, Ovechkin scored more goals against Fleury (28) than any other goalie. This season, he’s added seven more goalies to that list and has a whopping 36 goals in 56 games, despite missing 16 due to injury.

“I feel fortunate I was able to play in his time,” Fleury said of Ovechkin earlier in the season. “He probably owes me a few things for scoring so many goals on me. I helped him out pretty good. I’m glad I got to face him. He’s one of the best and always brings the best out of you. It’s been fun battles with him.”

What that means in the Eastern Conference playoff race is that the Rangers slipped out of a postseason berth, but just barely. They’re percentage points behind the Ottawa Senators, who secured two points Wednesday with an overtime win over he Chicago Blackhawks. The Rangers and Senators each have 67 points, but Ottawa is in the second wild card because it’s played one less game than New York.

We’ll have plenty more to report on this, but, man, that’s a big game between the Rangers and Senators on Saturday afternoon in Canada’s capital.

As for the game Wednesday, it was frustrating for the Rangers not to get that second point, especially since they were less than 10 minutes away from a regulation win. But the Capitals are first in the East and second overall in the NHL for a reason, and they shut down the Rangers in that third period, buying time for Alex Ovechkin to score the tying goal. The Rangers aren’t the first team he’s burned with a clutch goal this season or over the past two decades!

That bitter enemy Tom Wilson scored the winner at 4:07 of OT just adds to the pain of this loss for the Rangers, who are 7-3-1 in their past 11 games, but struggling to defeat the League’s best teams.

The Rangers were winless this season against the Capitals (0-2-1), though could flip that script should the Metro rivals meet this spring in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Related: Winners, losers from bitter Rangers’ OT loss to Capitals

Three takeaways from Rangers OT loss to Capitals

Here are three takeaways from another a frustrating overtime loss for the Rangers on Wednesday.

1. Let’s get physical

In a tightly-played defensive game that had the feel of a playoff matchup, the physical play was ratcheted up by each team. There were 58 combined hits, two fights, numerous post-whistle skirmishes and plenty of ill will.

The Rangers set the tone in the first period, when they were credited with 16 hits. They finished with 36, and all but six skaters recorded at least one. Rookie Brennan Othmann, who was shaken up briefly by a Matt Roy hit from behind in the second period, led New York with six hits in just 11:07 TOI. Newcomer Calvin de Haan continues to impress after arriving from the Colorado Avalanche; he had five hits and three blocked shots in 14+ minutes of ice time. And Matt Rempe was a bull with four hits and a key blocked shot in the third period.

Sam Carrick and Brandon Duhaime drop the gloves 🥊 pic.twitter.com/oRO5sMOqux

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) March 6, 2025

Sam Carrick and Juuso Parssinen dropped the gloves for New York, which was up for this big challenge, even it ended up on the wrong side of the final score.

2. What’s up with the number 3?

It appears the number 3 is no friend of the Rangers. On Wednesday, for example, they blew a third (there’s a 3) and lost 3-2 (and another 3). It was their third (yup, 3 again) straight loss this season to the Capitals.

But here’s the real issue with the number 3. The Rangers cannot win three games in a row any more. They failed again Wednesday and haven’t won three straight since Nov. 14-19, three-plus (3 again) months ago. Wednesday was the sixth time they failed to extend a win streak to three games since mid-November.

3. Didn’t finish strong

The Rangers didn’t generate much offense all night, but it dried up completely in the third period, allowing the Capitals to tie it up. The Rangers had 13 shots through two periods, but managed only three in the third. The Capitals deserve credit here for a strong commitment to defending tightly in five-man groups, but the Rangers didn’t win nearly enough puck battles in the O-zone nor get to the net enough to create traffic in front of Washington goalie Charlie Lindgren.

In overtime, the Rangers had one shot, and it was a beaut. Zac Jones was all alone in the low slot with the game on his stick less than a minute into OT. But Lindgren made the game-saving stop. That was that.

The Rangers were nine minutes and change away from securing an inspiring victory over the first-place Capitals. But leading 2-1 midway through the third period, the Rangers allowed Alex Ovechkin to tie the score with a power-play goal. Then with 53 seconds remaining in overtime, Tom Wilson finished off another Capitals comeback victory, beating Igor Shesterkin for his 28th goal of the season.

TOM WILSON AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN… OT GAME WINNER 🚨 pic.twitter.com/Lj8mtDxvyk

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 6, 2025

With the loss, the Rangers (31-26-5) again failed to win a third consecutive game after back-to-back shutout victories over the Nashville Predators and New York Islanders on Sunday and Monday. New York last won three games in a row Nov. 14-19.

The overtime loss, coupled with a 4-3 overtime win by the Ottawa Senators over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday, dropped the Rangers to ninth place in the conference. They are tied with the Senators in points (67) but have played one more game. The Rangers visit the Senators in their next game, Saturday afternoon at Canadian Tire Centre.

Shesterkin finished with 23 saves for the Rangers, including a beauty with his glove to rob Ovechkin on a wicked snap shot 2:02 into overtime. His counterpart, Charlie Lindgren of the Capitals, made 16 saves, including a one-on-one stop to rob Zac Jones point blank 54 seconds into OT.

Artemi Panarin and Sam Carrick scored for the Rangers, who have points in eight of their past 11 games (7-3-1).

Ovechkin moved within 10 goals of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL record of 894, when he tied the game at 10:28 of the third period. It was also the 1,599th point of his illustrious career.

Pierre-Luc Dubois also scored for Washington, which is now 6-10-5 when trailing after two periods this season. Wilson, who relishes playing the role of heel at Madison Square Garden, added an assist for a two-point night.

The Rangers were swept in the season series against the Capitals (0-2-1).

Related: Rangers should chase down Devils ‘not just wild card,’ Marty Biron tells Forever Blueshirts

Washington Capitals 3 – New York Rangers 2 (OT)

Though the Rangers allowed a goal just 64 seconds into the game, they rebounded quickly and gave as good as they got in an evenly-played spirited game, where emotions ran high with a playoff-type feel.

Dubois opened the scoring, giving the Capitals a 1-0 lead at 1:04 of the first period, when he whipped a pass from Wilson past Shesterkin for his 16th goal of the season. The goal came after a face-off to Shesterkin’s right and and good work by Wilson down low.

Washington nearly coughed up the lead at 8:30 following a turnover in its own end. But Lindgren took Vincent Trocheck’s wide-open look in the midsection and then lunged to his right to make a toe save on Panarin’s rebound attempt.

Two minutes later it was Shesterkin’s time to shine. No one picked up Lars Eller flying down the center, accepting a pass and driving to the net, but the Rangers goalie stretched to his left for the pad save.

Panarin’s deflection of a pretty feed into the middle by Jones tied the game 1-1 at 13:37. It was Panarin’s team-high 26th goal and extended his goal-scoring streak to three games.

Artemi Panarin steers Zac Jones' shot in to tie the game! pic.twitter.com/BxVF9iwA8o

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) March 6, 2025

Shortly before picking up the secondary assist on Panarin’s goal, Alexis Lafreniere leveled Washington’s Nic Dowd with a reverse check, one of his three hits in the first period and one of 16 credited to the Rangers in the first 20 minutes.

The Rangers added 12 more hits in the second period, one that saw an uptick in physical and chippy play on both sides and featured a pair of fights. Plus the Rangers scored the only goal in the second period to take a 2-1 lead.

Carrick scored the go-ahead goal at 8:05, though it came with a hint of mild controversy. On a Rangers zone entry, Carrick collided with Connor McMichael in the neutral zone, knocking the Washington forward down, creating a 5-on-4 for a bit in the offensive zone. Carrick could’ve been called for interference, but instead scored seconds later.

K’Andre Miller made an excellent keep at the left point on a Capitals clearing attempt. The Rangers defenseman then made a heads-up pass into the slot to Carrick, who skated around Matt Rempe in front before sending a backhand shot just out of the reach of Lindgren. It was Carrick’s sixth goal of the season, which extended his point streak to three games.

K'Andre Miller keeps the puck in the zone and Sam Carrick buries the backhand 💪 pic.twitter.com/GtX5F00SBC

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) March 6, 2025

That 2-1 lead carried to the second intermission after Shesterkin made one really sharp save against Rasmus Sandin, and Lindgren had a pair of beauties on open looks for Panarin and Trocheck. That latter chance came on a rare power-play scoring chance; the Rangers were 0-for-4 on the power play, including a failed four-minute advantage late in the first period following a double minor high-sticking penalty when Brett Berard was clipped by Ethen Frank.

Carrick and Brandon Duhaime squared off for a fight at 12:54 of the second period, one that was more wrestling match than boxing. Then at 14:58, Juuso Parssinen got into a scrap with Matt Roy, and after missing with a pair of wild swings, the recently-acquired Rangers center was sent to the ice by the Capitals defenseman.

That second fight broke out when Roy roughed Brennan Othmann — who had five hits through two periods in limited ice time — from behind by the boards. Roy received an extra minor penalty, but the Capitals killed that one off, too.

Juuso Parssinen drops the gloves with Matt Roy after Brennan Othmann took a big hit pic.twitter.com/TkhR2vOkFO

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) March 6, 2025

The Rangers had to like their start to a low-event third period. But with Jones in the penalty box serving a hooking minor, the Capitals tied the game 2-2 when Ovechkin buried a power-play goal from in tight at 10:28. It was his 32nd goal in 46 games played this season, and fourth in three games against the Rangers.

ALEX OVECHKIN DOES IT AGAIN!

HE'S NOW JUST 10 GOALS AWAY FROM BREAKING GRETZKY'S GOAL-SCORING RECORD ‼️ 🤯 pic.twitter.com/ecMdmMvc1Q

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 6, 2025

To make matters worse for the home team, Will Borgen was assessed a hooking penalty as Ovechkin was shooting the puck into the net, and Washington went right back to the power play. Shesterkin had to make a sharp glove save on Ovechkin’s patented one-timer from the left circle at 12:10 but the Rangers killed off the rest of the penalty.

Playing with extra jump after tying the game, the Capitals nearly took the lead at 14:51, but a left-wing shot by Taylor Raddysh off a 2-on-1 rush kissed the near post.

There were five shots combined in overtime, with, first Jones then Ovechkin, getting Grade-A looks. But Washington scored on its third shot of the extra session, after Dylan Strome carried the puck in on a 2-on-1, slowed to let a diving Braden Schneider slide by, before zipping a pass to Wilson, who chipped it past Shesterkin.

This was New York’s fifth loss (22-2-3) when leading after two periods, dropping the Rangers to 2-5 in OT this season.

They’ll have two days to sit on this one — including the NHL Trade Deadline on Friday — before playing that crucial games in Ottawa on Saturday and then an equally as important home game Sunday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, who hold the top wild card in the East.

One of the biggest keys will be shutting down Ovechkin, who is blazing his way to surpassing The Great One, Wayne Gretzky, for the all-time NHL goals lead. The Great Eight has 31 goals on the season, bringing his career total to 884, just 10 goals shy of tying Gretzky at 894 and 11 away from breaking the record that has stood for over three decades.

Ovechkin has done this at 39 years old, and in a season when he missed 16 games with a fractured fibula. Somehow, he just keeps finding the net. He’s got five goals in his past five games, and all eyes will be on him tonight against the Rangers.

“That’s not a distraction for us,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said Wednesday. “I don’t know what it is over there, but for us it’s about the game tonight. It’d be great to not have (Ovechkin) push forward in that race. That’s about the only way that we’ll talk about it when it comes up in a power-play meeting or how we defend and things we do.”

Ovechkin has made a living scoring goals on the power play from the left circle, so playing a disciplined game and staying out of the penalty box is one way that the Rangers will be able to limit his scoring chances

Other than that, it will be continuing to play team defense, being physical, and blocking shots. A recipe that has led to success for the Rangers over the past several games.

“Obviously he’s a tremendous goal scorer,” said Laviolette, who coached Ovechkin with the Capitals from 2020-23. “From a hockey standpoint we talk about it, but not necessarily a race standpoint.”

Related: Rangers vs. Capitals: 3 things to watch for trying to avoid season-series sweep

Rangers aim to avoid season-series sweep against Capitals

The Capitals have gotten the better of the Rangers in both meetings this season. They first faced off back on Oct. 29, and the Capitals came away with a 5-3 win thanks to two goals from Ovechkin. It was another high-scoring affair on Jan. 7 when the Capitals won 7-4. Ovechkin cashed in another goal in that game.

Those games were against a different Rangers team. There’s been quite a few moves since then, and now the Rangers are on a run of four wins in five games. Some real confidence is being built inside the room, especially now that the Rangers sit in a playoff spot for the time being.

“I just think (consistency and confidence) go hand in hand,” J.T. MIller explained. “If you play the right way and play the team game, typically you get the results, you get confidence, and away you go. We’re going to need everything today, obviously we know who we’re playing against. It’s going to be a fun game.”

The Rangers will need to come up with one of their better performances to date if they want to come away with another huge two points and their first three-game win streak in over three months (No. 14-19). They may be coming off back-to-back shutout wins, but the Nashville Predators and the New York Islanders are a far cry from the Capitals, who are second overall in the NHL standings.

“They’re a great team,” defenseman Braden Schneider said. “They’re obviously at the top of the League, so we have to make sure that we’re ready to go. They’re a hard, physical team. They’re deep all around, so we have to make sure that we’re bringing our best and we’re ready to go for it.”

Watch the exclusive RINK RAP podcast interview with Martin Biron on the Forever Blueshirts YouTube page.

Or listen to the audio here