“Lighting the Lamp” is a new WTOP feature added this winter. Take a look back at the inaugural article, if you missed it.
The Washington Capitals will play nine regular season games in April with a pair of targets in their sights: home ice advantage (at least through the first three rounds) is well within reach, and with a little help, the Presidents’ Trophy could be theirs as well.
But wrapping up March with back-to-back-to-back losses does not give one joy as we enter the final days of their playoff tuneup. Six of their nine April games will be away from D.C.
Will they prove this last week was merely a hiccup, or the start of something sour?
The other goal in sight is the one we’ve known about all season: 894 — as in career goals.
Alex Ovechkin has exceeded expectations (his goals per game is higher than seven of his previous nine seasons) to move within shouting distance of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record. There’s plenty to watch for each night this month.
Alexander Ovechkin is only goals away from becoming the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer. Send your words of encouragement to the Capitals captain in a voicemail through the WTOP News app, available on Apple or Android. Use the feedback button in the navigation bar.
Record: 47-17-9 (after a 9-4-1 March), and their 103 points are nine better than Carolina for first place in the Metropolitan Division and nine points better than Toronto for the best record in the Eastern Conference.
They are three points behind Winnipeg for the best record in the league.
Washington’s already wrapped up a playoff spot as well as home ice for the first round. Five wins wrap up home ice through the Conference Final, regardless of what the Hurricanes or Maple Leafs do.
Rankings: First (3.63 goals per game) in the NHL in scoring while tying for sixth (2.64) in goals against, 15th (21.8%) on the power play and fourth (82.2%) on the penalty kill.
Iceman of the Month: Alex Ovechkin’s seven goals and 16 points led the team, but Aliaksei Protas (seven and 15) gets that nod in March after reaching the 30-goal plateau for the first time in his career. He’s not the only player to reach career highs this season, but down the stretch he is emerging as a weapon to be dealt with.
Hot Sticks and Cool Pads: Tom Wilson is one of those players to post career highs in goals (31) and assists (29), thanks to five goals and 10 assists (most on the team) in March. Martin Fehérváry led the defensemen with eight points on two goals and six assists while John Carlson also notched six assists in March. Jakob Chychrun scored twice Sunday to reach the 20-goal plateau for the first time in his career. Logan Thompson posted a 6-2-1 record with a 2.48 goals against average.
Ovi Odometer: Alex Ovechkin’s seven goals in March give him 37 for the season and 890 for his career. He enters April four goals away from Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record. Ovi’s 37 goals in 57 games puts him on pace for 43 if he plays every game the rest of the way. Prorating his pace over the final nine games has Ovechkin reaching Gretzky’s mark on April 13 against Columbus in the home finale, breaking the record in the following April 15 game against the New York Islanders.
Matchup of the Month: Carolina drops by D.C. on April 10. The Caps and Hurricanes split their meeting last fall and Washington visits the Canes on April 2. This is the team that is right behind them in the standings, and a likely foe in the second round of the playoffs. Plus, for those on the Ovi watch, it’s the penultimate home game. Could they clinch the division on the same night Alex breaks the record?
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