COLUMBUS, Ohio — Alex Ovechkin hasn’t decided if his final NHL game was Tuesday night. If it was, the Russian superstar made sure he got on the scoresheet.
Ovechkin assisted on Jakob Chychrun’s go-ahead goal during the third period of the Washington Capitals’ 2-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
“It’s pretty cool,” Ovechkin said. “We tried to win, and we tried to finish the season on a good note.”
Ovechkin, who led the Capitals to the Stanley Cup in 2018, is in the final season of his contract. He has continued to reiterate that he will take some time to ponder whether to retire after 21 seasons and 1,573 regular-season games.
“I’m going to stay a little bit in D.C. I don’t know when we’re going to fly [back to Russia]. … I’ll talk with Carbs [coach Spencer Carbery], CP [general manager Chris Patrick], my family and go from there,” Ovechkin said during his three-minute postgame remarks.
A large contingent of Capitals fans made the trip to Columbus and chanted “One more year!” and “Ovi! Ovi!” during the final minute. He also got a standing ovation as he left the ice.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen. The fans who came here from D.C. and different spots to watch the game which was very nice,” Ovechkin said. “I could hear them cheering for me and screaming one more year.”
Ovechkin was on the ice for final 1:49 after the Blue Jackets pulled their goalie. His teammates tried to get him the puck for one final goal, but he was unable to control the puck when he had a clean look at the empty net.
“I wanted him, maybe if this is it, to ice it with one more empty net,” Carbery said. “He had a good look at it. The puck just was rolling.”
If Ovechkin’s final game was against the Blue Jackets, it was fitting. His NHL debut came Oct. 5, 2005, against Columbus, when he scored the first two of his record-setting 929 goals.
Washington got its third power play after Columbus’ Miles Wood was sent off for high sticking at 14:06 of the third period. Ovechkin had a couple of chances for his favorite spot inside the left faceoff circle, but Blue Jackets’ goaltender Jet Greaves was able to make a great save on the first attempt.
The Capitals took the lead with 4:07 remaining on Chychrun’s shot from the slot. Ovechkin got the second assist, his 32nd of the season.
“It’s an honor,” Chychrun said. “I think we all are trying to soak up everything we can all the time we have with him. We don’t know what’s in store, but it’s special to have these memories with him.
“We all know what he does out there on the ice, but getting to know him off the ice has been even more special.”
On his opening shift, Ovechkin became the fifth player age 40 or older in NHL history to play in all 82 regular-season games. The last person to do it was Jaromir Jagr with the Florida Panthers in 2016-17. The others were Detroit’s Nicklas Lidstrom (2010-11), Anaheim’s Teemu Selanne (2011-12) and Tampa Bay’s Dave Andreychuk (2003-04). Jagr also did it with the New Jersey Devils in 2013-14.
It was the fifth time in 21 seasons Ovechkin has not missed a regular-season game.
Ovechkin led the Capitals this season with 32 goals and 64 points. He ended the season with a point in three straight games, with one goal and two assists.
Washington finished two points shy of a playoff spot, the fifth time it has failed to reach the Stanley Cup playoffs since Ovechkin was the top pick in 2004.
For those hoping Ovechkin goes at least one more year, he did leave a glimmer of hope.
“I hope it’s not my last game. I don’t know how exactly it’s going to happen, so we’ll see,” he said.
