Ovechkin scores 878th goal, Capitals defeat Panthers 6-3

Alex Ovechkin scored his 878th career goal, moving closer to Wayne Gretzky's NHL record, as the Washington Capitals defeated the Florida Panthers 6-3. Ovechkin's goal, scored into an empty net with just 0.1 seconds left, places him 17 goals away from breaking Gretzky's mark of 894. The Capitals showcased depth scoring with contributions from Andrew Mangiapane, Tom Wilson, Lars Eller, and Nic Dowd, while goaltender Logan Thompson made 31 saves to help the team avoid a third consecutive loss. Florida's three-game winning streak came to an end, despite goals from Sam Bennett, Aleksander Barkov, and Matthew Tkachuk. Washington's performance improved after a slow start, highlighted by Eller ending his 10-game goal drought early in the third period. The Capitals now have 29 games remaining this season for Ovechkin to reach the historic milestone.