Ovechkin nets No. 888; Caps clinch playoff berth
WASHINGTON — Alex Ovechkin is one step closer to NHL history after the “Great 8” reached a fitting number in his pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s career goals record.
Ovechkin scored his 888th goal Thursday night in a 3-2 victory by the Washington Capitals over Philadelphia that helped them clinch a playoff berth, moving seven back of passing Gretzky’s mark of 894 that long seemed unapproachable.
“Again a big goal at a big time,” goaltender Charlie Lindgren said. “Credit to Ovi: another big goal and another goal off the mark.”
With just over five minutes left in the first period, the puck hit linemate Aliaksei Protas in front and he passed it to Ovechkin. The 39-year-old beat Samuel Ersson for his 35th goal of the season, which is tied for fourth most in the league.
“It was a great play,” Ovechkin said. “Take it and move on.”
Confetti flew and Big Joe Turner’s “Shake, Rattle and Roll” blared from speakers as mascot Slapshot flipped the goal counter in a corner of the arena from 887 to 888. Fans chanted “Ovi! Ovi!” as play resumed.
“Every time he scores, the crowd gets 10 times more involved and it just kind of blows up, and whatever happens after, they’re still always cheering,” winger Andrew Mangiapane said. “It’s a great atmosphere every time he gets a goal for us.”
Mangiapane, who wears jersey No. 88, saw the triple 8s and manifested he might get one, too. Midway through the second period, he scored.
“There was lots of 8s out there,” Ovechkin said.
Ovechkin at his current pace has a chance to to break Gretzky’s record before the end of the regular season.
“It seemed like the last two years no one really expected it to happen this quick,” Flyers captain Sean Couturier said. “It’s definitely special. I’m sure when we’re done playing we can say we played against the greatest goal scorer of all time. … Happy for him. It’s fun to see him get closer.”
The Capitals have 13 games left in the regular season before the playoffs. Ovechkin has one year left on his current contract in case he does not reach the mark this season.
His teammates are hoping he gets to 895 with time to spare.
“We’d love to see him get it done,” Lindgren said. “He’s generating a ton of scoring chances every single game. He could’ve had a couple tonight. Obviously, I don’t know exactly what he’s feeling, I don’t know how much pressure he’s feeling, but, boy, I’ll tell you, seeing him and being with him every day you look at him, you wouldn’t know that he’s feeling any sort of pressure at all.
“He’s still going out and producing and scoring goals for us and being one heck of a captain.”
Coach Spencer Carbery believes there are many positives for the Capitals with Ovechkin on this mission.
“Our guys feed off it on the bench – they’re pulling for him,” Carbery said. “I think it energizes them to play at a higher level. … There’s no question as a coach I feel like this chase and the energy around it hasn’t been a distraction or a hindrance to our group. It’s been a massive benefit.”
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Jesse Rogers
Free agent pitcher Julio Urias, who hasn’t played in the big leagues since 2023, was suspended through this year’s All-Star break for violating Major League Baseball’s joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy, commissioner Rob Manfred announced in a Friday news release.
It’s Urias’ second suspension for violating the policy. He was suspended for 20 games in 2019 after being arrested on suspicion of domestic battery.
He’ll be reinstated on July 17, 2025, and then free to sign with any team.
Urias, 28, spent eight seasons with the Dodgers before being placed on administrative leave after his latest arrest in September 2023. He remained there until becoming a free agent at the end of that season. He did not sign with a team last year while under investigation.
Urias’ latest arrest occurred outside a soccer match in Los Angeles after the pitcher got into an altercation with his wife. In 2024, he plead no contest to the battery charges stemming from that arrest and entered a treatment program.
Since Urias isn’t employed by a team the league could not assign him a number of games for the suspension, instead choosing a date that corresponds with the end of the All-Star break.
Urias was signed out of Mexico as a 16-year-old, making his debut for the Dodgers just three years later. He was an important contributor on L.A’s playoff teams during that era, recording the final out of the 2020 World Series, winning 20 games in 2021 and finishing third in National League Cy Young Award voting in 2022.
Urias was widely projected to sign a $200 million-plus contract before being arrested.
PEORIA, Ariz. — San Diego Padres right-hander Yu Darvish will start the season on the injured list because of inflammation in his right elbow, manager Mike Shildt said Friday.
Shildt said there is no timetable for Darvish’s return but the team is confident he will be back in the rotation following rest and a ramp-up period.
Darvish made a pair of spring training starts but was shut down after the second, a four-inning, 54-pitch outing against Kansas City on March 13. The Padres decided to have him back off his throwing program after he played catch a couple times.
Kyle Hart, Stephen Kolek and Randy Vasquez are candidates to fill Darvish’s spot in the rotation behind Michael King, Dylan Cease and Nick Pivetta.
Darvish is 110-88 with a 3.58 ERA in 12 major league seasons after pitching for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in Japan’s Pacific League from 2005-11. The 38-year-old had Tommy John surgery on March 17, 2015, and returned to a major league mound on May 28, 2016.
He had back, neck and elbow problems last season and was on the restricted list for personal reasons from early July to late August. He won three of four starts in September and was 1-1 with a 1.98 ERA in two starts against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Division Series
Darvish came to the major leagues in 2012 after agreeing to a $56 million, six-year contract with the Texas Rangers. He was traded to the Dodgers in July 2017, became a free agent after the World Series and signed a $126 million, six-year deal with the Chicago Cubs. Darvish was dealt to San Diego after the 2020 season and in February 2023 agreed to a contract with the Padres that added an additional $90 million in guaranteed money for a total of $108 million over six year.
His 2023 season ended in late August because of a bone spur in his right elbow.
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