Ovechkin scores NHL goal No. 741 for Capitals in win against Sabres

WASHINGTON -- Alex Ovechkin tied Brett Hull for fourth in NHL goals when he scored No. 741 for the Washington Capitals in a 5-3 win against the Buffalo Sabres at Capital One Arena on Monday.

Ovechkin scored at 8:55 of the second period on a redirection of Dmitry Orlov's shot from the point to give Washington a 3-1 lead. It was Ovechkin's NHL-leading 11th goal of the season; he needs to score 37 goals this season to pass
Jaromir Jagr
(766) for third in NHL history, behind
Gordie Howe
(801) and
Wayne Gretzky
, who is first with 894.
"I just take it day by day," Ovechkin said. "You know it's nice to be in that company. It's pretty big numbers, so just move on. Obviously it's nice to be tied, but I still have a couple games left."
Tom Wilson scored twice, and Evgeny Kuznetsov had three assists for the Capitals (6-2-4), who had lost three in a row (0-2-1). Vitek Vaneck made 25 saves.
Dustin Tokarski made 25 saves for the Sabres (5-5-2), who have lost five straight games (0-4-1).
"I liked the fight all the way through to the end. We have to compete," Buffalo coach Don Granato said. "I think there were opportunities in the game that were created and generated and it's the way we need to play. We need to play aggressive."
Washington took a 1-0 lead at 2:13 of the first period when Trevor van Riemsdyk's shot from the point was deflected by Ovechkin and then Wilson before going past Tokarski.
Connor McMichael made it 2-0 when his shot from the left circle deflected off Sabres defenseman Christian Wolanin at 2:31 of the second period.

McMichael, a rookie, has a three-game point streak (two goals, one assist).
"Every chance that Capitals coach Peter Laviolette
(1972-73, 37 years old) and
Maurice Richard
(1957-58, 36 years old) for the second-fewest games in NHL history to score 20 points.
Mario Lemieux
needed nine games in 2002-03. … Ovechkin got his second assist of the game on Carlson's goal, his 600th in the NHL. He has scored 59 points (36 goals, 23 assists) in 57 career games against the Sabres. … It was Wilson's first multigoal game since March 28. … Capitals forward Nic Dowd sustained a lower-body injury in the second period and will be reevaluated Tuesday. … Wolanin played 8:18 and blocked two shots in his season debut. … Sabres forward Rasmus Asplund had his six-game point streak end (three goals, five assists). … Carlson extended his point streak to five games (two goals, four assists). … Washington forward
Axel Jonsson-Fjallby
made his season debut and blocked two shots in 5:44.