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Braden Holtby ties wins record, Alex Ovechkin nets hat trick for 50 goals, and Caps top Blues Braden Holtby ties wins record, Alex Ovechkin nets hat trick for 50 goals, and Caps top Blues
(35 minutes later)
ST. LOUIS — Asked for the umpteenth time about trying to help Braden Holtby tie the single-season wins record, Alex Ovechkin was tired of talking about it. “Let it go,” he said on Thursday night. He figured Holtby was under enough pressure. ST. LOUIS — Asked for the umpteenth time about trying to help Braden Holtby tie the single-season wins record, Alex Ovechkin was tired of talking about it. “Let it go,” he said Thursday night. He figured Holtby was under enough pressure already.
But of course Ovechkin still wanted to help Holtby. He recorded a hat trick on Saturday night in a 5-1 win over the St. Louis Blues — reaching a milestone of his own in the process. As far as regular season games with no postseason position at stake go, this one was pretty memorable. Ovechkin reached the 50-goal mark in the same game that Holtby tied Martin Brodeur for the NHL’s single-season wins record with his 48th victory. But Ovechkin, of course, still did want to help Holtby, and he did, recording a hat trick Saturday night in a 5-1 win over the St. Louis Blues — and reaching a milestone of his own in the process. As far as regular season games with no postseason positions at stake go, this one was pretty memorable: Ovechkin reached the 50-goal mark in the same game in which Holtby tied Martin Brodeur for the NHL’s single-season wins record with his 48th victory.
The moment was wasted the last time Brodeur and Holtby were in the same building. Brodeur was in Washington last month with the Blues — he serves as an assistant general manager in the St. Louis front office — but Holtby tended the Verizon Center bench in a baseball cap, a rare night off for him. The legendary goaltender didn’t get to see one of this season’s Vezina Trophy front-runners in action. [Capitals now know first-round foe: the Philadelphia Flyers]
This time, the moment was perfect. Their names had been intertwined for months as Holtby chased the record that Brodeur set with the Devils during the 2006-07 season. In likely his last start of the regular season — and with Brodeur watching — Holtby joined Brodeur in the record books. The moment was wasted the previous time Brodeur and Holtby were in the same building. Last month, Brodeur was in Washington with the Blues — he serves as an assistant general manager in St. Louis’s front office — but Holtby tended the Verizon Center bench in a baseball cap, a rare night off. The legendary goaltender didn’t get to see one of this season’s Vezina Trophy front-runners in action.
This time, the moment was perfect. Their names had been intertwined for months as Holtby chased the record Brodeur set with the Devils during the 2006-07 season. And i n likely his last start of the regular season — and with Brodeur watching — Holtby joined Brodeur on Saturday in the record books.
Brodeur needed 78 starts to set the record nine years ago. Holtby did it in 66.Brodeur needed 78 starts to set the record nine years ago. Holtby did it in 66.
“Me and him will be in the same boat when the next one comes in [to challenge the record],” Brodeur said on Saturday night in the press box. “At least I’ll have somebody to share it. Now, I’m by myself and don’t know how to react. I think it’s great.” “Me and him will be in the same boat when the next one comes in” to challenge the record, Brodeur said Saturday night in the press box. “At least I’ll have somebody to share it. Now, I’m by myself and don’t know how to react. I think it’s great.”
After Holtby’s last two chances to tie the record resulted in overtime losses by the Capitals, the team had one of its most dominant performances against the Blues on Saturday, all but securing the result after two periods with a three-goal lead. Holtby didn’t have to do much, seeing just 10 shots through 40 minutes. After Holtby’s prior two chances to tie the record had resulted in overtime losses, the team had one of its most dominant performances against the Blues, all but securing the result after two periods with a three-goal lead. Holtby didn’t have to do much, seeing just 10 shots through 40 minutes.
Ovechkin scored two goals within three minutes in the first period, and then added his third in the third period. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Ovechkin is the first player to earn a hat trick in the same game he reached 50 goals since Corey Perry in 2011. He is also the first player in NHL history to score 50 goals in three consecutive seasons twice. [Trotz wants to see some players ‘get going’ before postseason]
For the past week, the Capitals — Ovechkin included — had said they were playing for Holtby. Holtby didn’t want it to be too stressful for his teammates; he didn’t want them to force it. But the beauty of this record is that a win is obviously something that benefits the entire team. Ovechkin scored two goals within three minutes in the first period, then added his third in the third period. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Ovechkin is the first player to earn a hat trick in the same game in which he reached 50 goals since Corey Perry in 2011. He is also the first player in NHL history to score 50 goals in three consecutive seasons on two separate occasions.
For the past week, the Capitals — Ovechkin included — had said they were playing for Holtby. Holtby didn’t want it to be too stressful for his teammates; he didn’t want them to force it. But the beauty of this particular record is that wins are a stat that benefits the entire team.
“I wasn’t kidding when I said it was hard,” Brodeur said. “People thought he was going to wrap this up like about two weeks ago. It’s just hard. You get to those last few games to tie it or break it, and it takes a toll on you a little bit, you know? You’re thinking about it, [and] players are almost overdoing it for you.”“I wasn’t kidding when I said it was hard,” Brodeur said. “People thought he was going to wrap this up like about two weeks ago. It’s just hard. You get to those last few games to tie it or break it, and it takes a toll on you a little bit, you know? You’re thinking about it, [and] players are almost overdoing it for you.”
Holtby was a 16-year-old when Brodeur and Roberto Luongo, then with the Vancouver Canucks, were in a race to set the wins record during the 2006-07 season. Brodeur set the record with 48 wins, and Luongo finished with 47. Before that, legendary Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Bernie Parent had owned the record with 47 wins during the 1973-74 season. It took 33 years to topple that mark, so Holtby never considered that a personal goal entering the season. Holtby was a 16-year-old when Brodeur and Roberto Luongo, then with the Vancouver Canucks, were in a race to set the wins record during the 2006-07 season. Brodeur set the record with 48 wins, and Luongo finished with 47. Before that, legendary Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Bernie Parent had owned the record with 47 wins during the 1973-74 season. It took 33 years to topple that first mark, so entering the season, Holtby never had considered setting a new record a personal goal.
[Oshie returns to St. Louis, meets his little No. 1 fan]
“Honestly I didn’t even think about it,” he said last week. “My goal was to get 40 wins again. That’s kind of the goal every year is to hit that 40 mark, and you’re in the playoffs, usually.”“Honestly I didn’t even think about it,” he said last week. “My goal was to get 40 wins again. That’s kind of the goal every year is to hit that 40 mark, and you’re in the playoffs, usually.”
Repeatedly referred to as the team’s MVP this season by Coach Barry Trotz and other players, Holtby not only guided the Capitals to the playoffs, but he backstopped them to a Presidents’ Trophy and a franchise-record number of wins. Repeatedly referred to as the team’s MVP this season by Coach Barry Trotz and other players, Holtby not only guided the Capitals to the playoffs but backstopped them to a Presidents’ Trophy and a franchise-record number of wins.
“You look at the faces and the names that are up on the graphics before the games all of the time, and you see what he has done and what the team has done in the period of games,” Trotz said last week. “Those names are Hall of Fame names that are there. That’s pretty elite company, so that’s pretty special.”“You look at the faces and the names that are up on the graphics before the games all of the time, and you see what he has done and what the team has done in the period of games,” Trotz said last week. “Those names are Hall of Fame names that are there. That’s pretty elite company, so that’s pretty special.”
One of the members of that elite group planned to congratulate Holtby in person after the game. First, Holtby was the center of a group hug by his teammates as soon as the final horn sounded. One of the members of that elite group planned to congratulate Holtby in person after the game. Before Brodeur could get to him, though, Holtby was first the center of a group hug by his teammates, as soon as the final horn sounded.