Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin is week-to-week with a leg injury amid chase for NHL career goals record

By STEPHEN WHYNO The Associated Press
Utah Hockey Club centers Nick Schmaltz (8) and Logan Cooley (92) vie for the puck with Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) as Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin (38) and center Dylan Strome (17) look on during the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Nov. 18, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Bethany Baker)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Bethany Baker]

Alex Ovechkin is considered week-to-week after injuring his lower left leg in the Washington Capitals’ most recent game at Utah, an absence that is expected to slow down his pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goals record.

The Capitals said Tuesday that Ovechkin would be evaluated further by doctors when they return home from their road trip. He was injured in a shin-on-shin collision with Jack McBain.

Ovechkin scored twice before leaving the game in Salt Lake City on Monday night to give him a league-best 15 goals in 18 games this season. He’s at 868 — 27 goals away from passing Gretzky.

There was immediate concern about Ovechkin when he left the game 5:30 into the third period. The 39-year-old took a brief twirl to test it before realizing he couldn’t put much weight on his left leg and limping down the tunnel to the locker room.

He did not return. Coach Spencer Carbery said only that Washington’s longtime captain was being evaluated after the game.

Ovechkin over two decades in the NHL has been known for his durability, which has allowed him to score at a pace unlike any other player in history. The Russian winger has only missed 35 games because of injury.

Until the injury, Ovechkin was on pace to break the record sometime in February.

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