You must have a great deal of pride in your team if you support the Washington Capitals. This season, the franchise is showcasing its prowess in the Eastern Conference, boasting an impressive record of 45 wins, 15 losses, and 8 overtime losses after 68 games. What draws people to the Caps? For those who closely follow hockey, it’s no secret that Alex Ovechkin is on the brink of history, sitting just 8 goals shy of surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s legendary all-time goal record in the NHL.
Certainly, the Gr8’s ascent to the pinnacle of the sport has been remarkable, and his contributions to the team’s achievements are significant. As the regular season approaches its conclusion, an intriguing statistic about the franchise has been unveiled by a notable figure in the NHL media landscape. On X, Tom Gulitti reported, “The Capitals were the last team to clinch a playoff berth last season when they defeated the Flyers in their final game. The Caps can become the first team to clinch a playoff berth this season when they, again, face the Flyers tonight.”
This moment holds significant importance for the Caps. Last year, the Caps put forth their utmost effort to reach the playoffs, yet they fell short of making any significant impact. But this is a very different season. As they continue their pursuit of excellence, they find themselves up against the Flyers once more. The team currently sits in fifteenth place in the Eastern Conference, leaving the franchise with minimal to no chances of reaching the Playoffs. For a team like Caps, the Flyers should prove to be an easy opponent this season.
Gulitti outlined three potential scenarios for the Caps to secure a playoff spot, noting, “They defeat the Flyers in regulation and any result in the Islanders-Canadiens game other than an Islanders regulation win. Or if they defeat the Flyers in overtime or shootout and the Islanders lose to the Canadiens in any fashion. Or if they lose to the Flyers in overtime or shootout and the Blue Jackets lose to the Panthers in any fashion and the Islanders lose to the Canadiens in regulation.”
The Capitals were the last team to clinch a playoff berth last season when they defeated the Flyers in their final game.
The Caps can become the first team to clinch a playoff berth this season when they, again, face the Flyers tonight.
Here are the clinching scenarios: pic.twitter.com/ylXjnbk7Al
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) March 20, 2025
Certainly, there are numerous possibilities regarding the Caps’ path to advancing in the NHL. Nonetheless, there is little doubt that they will find a way to reach the playoffs. In addition to the high-stakes matches ahead, Ovechkin faces a significant challenge: to shatter that record in the final games of the regular season. Do you recall the moment when Gulitti stood up for Ovechkin in the face of community criticism?
When Alex Ovechkin was surrounded by critics
Recall the moment when Alex Ovechkin stood just 17 goals shy of etching his name in the record books? The pursuit of those objectives attracted considerable scrutiny from the community, particularly in light of the Caps captain’s numerous open net goals. In response to the discussion, Tom Gulitti stepped in to clarify, noting, “Yes, 6 of Alex Ovechkin’s 25 goals are empty-net goals. Just like 7 of Mikko Rantanen’s 26 goals are empty-net goals. Also, 6 of Kirill Kaprizov’s 23 goals are empty-netters. And 5 of Adrian Kempe’s 24 goals are empty-netters.”
This list revealed that Ovechkin was not the sole forward to capitalize on open net opportunities. In the NHL, a goal is recorded in a player’s career regardless of whether it was scored with the goalie present in the net or not. These are straightforward facts, yet many refuse to accept them, as Ovi pursues Gretzky’s all-time goal record.
Additionally, Gulitti shared another statistic, noting, “Ovechkin holds the NHL record with 63 empty-net goals. He broke Wayne Gretzky’s record of 56 empty-net goals last season.” This highlights that even the most celebrated figures have experienced their share of easy opportunities throughout their careers. Indeed, there’s absolutely no reason to feel embarrassed about achieving such goals!
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