NHL Recap March 18, 2024 – OVECHKIN RACKS UP ANOTHER 20-GOAL SEASON, CAPITALS MOVE INTO PLAYOFF SPOT

Alex Ovechkin (2-0—2) eclipsed the 20-goal mark for the 19th consecutive campaign and helped the Capitals (33-25-9, 75 points) leapfrog the Detroit Red Wings (34-28-6, 74 points) for the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. Washington moved into a playoff position for the first time since Jan. 2, when the club occupied a Wild Card position.

• Ovechkin (21-31—52 in 64 GP) became the third player in NHL history to record at least 19 straight 20-goal seasons, joining Gordie Howe (22) and Brendan Shanahan (19). The Capitals captain, who has scored 12 of his 21 goals in 20 games since the All-Star break, has 15 contests remaining to reach the 30-goal mark for the 18th time in his career. He would pass Mike Gartner (17) for sole possession of the most such campaigns in NHL history.
• Ovechkin scored against Flames netminder Dustin Wolf for the first time in his career, marking the 174th different goaltender he has solved. Only Jaromir Jagr (178) and Patrick Marleau (177) have scored against more netminders.

RED WINGS RECALL SIMON EDVINSSON FROM GRAND RAPIDS

The Detroit Red Wings have recalled defenseman Simon Edvinsson from the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins.

Edvinsson, 21, has played in two games with the Red Wings this season, recording one assist and two penalty minutes in 14:39 average time on ice. The 6-foot-6, 212-pound blueliner has also skated in 52 games with the Griffins during the 2023-24 campaign, leading the team’s defensemen in goals (8), assists (21), points (29), penalty minutes (51), power play goals (2), game-winning goals (3), overtime goals (1) and shots (97). Edvinsson made his NHL debut with the Red Wings in 2022-23, logging two goals and 12 penalty minutes in nine appearances.

SABRES INCH CLOSER TO PLAYOFF LINE
Monday the Sabres (33-31-5, 71 points) moved within four points of the final Wild Card seed in the Eastern Conference in a contest that featured two goals between both clubs in the opening minute and a hat trick from Jeff Skinner. Buffalo’s 32 goals through the month of March is the third most behind the Hurricanes (34) and Jets (33).

• Skinner recorded the seventh hat trick of his career and third since joining the Sabres in 2018-19, which is the second most among all Buffalo skaters behind only Tage Thompson (5).

WILD CARD RACES HEAT UP DURING 13-GAME TUESDAY

Playoff races in both conferences continue to heat up during a 13-game Tuesday as six of seven teams in contention for Wild Card positions in the East take to the ice, while both the Blues (36-29-3, 75 points) and Wild (33-27-8, 74 points) will look to continue to charge up the standings in the West. The Penguins (30-28-9, 69 points) and Devils (32-32-4, 68 points), who sit six and seven points out of a Wild Card spot, respectively, will battle on Sportsnet, while the Islanders (29-23-15, 73 points) could move closer to a playoff position with a win against the Hurricanes.

• The Blues and Wild sit four and five points out of a playoff position, respectively, and will look to close the gap on the Golden Knights (36-24-7, 79 points), who occupy the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. St. Louis has won four straight contests while Minnesota has earned at least a point in seven straight games (5-0-2) – both clubs rank tied for first in points among all teams this month (12). The Blues and Wild are also set to go head-to-head in a crucial matchup this coming Saturday.
• The Islanders, who have occupied a playoff position for only five days since Jan. 14, enter Tuesday two points back of the Capitals (33-25-9, 75 points) for the second Wild Card spot in the East – though Washington will maintain a lead over New York in the playoff race regardless of an Islanders win by virtue of holding a game in hand. Noah Dobson (8-57—65 in 67 GP) skates into the contest needing three helpers to become just the second different defenseman in franchise history to record 60 assists in a season alongside Denis Potvin (4x; most: 70 in 1978-79).
• Sidney Crosby (33-35—68 in 67 GP), who enters play on pace for exactly 40 goals in 2023-24, will look to help his Penguins inch closer to a Wild Card spot and avoid missing the postseason in consecutive seasons for the first time in his career. Pittsburgh has skated in the Stanley Cup Playoffs 16 times since Crosby’s debut season in 2005-06 – the most postseason appearances among all clubs and two more than any other over that span (NYR, BOS, WSH & NSH w/ 14).

Panthers’ Kulikov Suspended Two Games for Illegal Check to the Head

Florida Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov has been suspended for two games, without pay, for an illegal check to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Conor Sheary during NHL Game No. 1063 in Sunrise, Fla., on Saturday, March 16. the incident occurred at 3:36 of the second period. Kulikov was assessed a match penalty. Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and, based on his average annual salary, Kulikov will forfeit $10,416.66. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.