Photo credit: Bruce Bennett

It was an unlikely game. The Capitals dominated the Islanders for most of the hour, but were without a goal until Troy Brouwer finally beat Nabokov in the waning minutes of the third. Brouwer pulled through again in the final minute of regulation, and then we were treated to a sight we haven’t seen enough of lately.

Alex Ovechkin, who extended his Washington Capitals OTGWG franchise record to 11, carried the puck across neutral, skated to the center lane, used New York’s Travis Hamonic as a screen, and scored the game-winner through Nabokov’s five-hole. Video is below the jump.

Here’s John Walton’s call of the goal.

This is a play Ovechkin has used frequently over the years — with starkly diminishing returns of late, but after surrendering two greasy goals to the Caps, Nabokov was not up to the task of stopping Mr. Rock Star.

After turning away 13 tough shots in the first period alone, Nabokov — who shut the Capitals out earlier this season– saw his perfect game slip away late in the third. His 31 saves on 34 shots earned him a .911 Sv%.

The Caps have now won three straight for the first time since mid-January, and sit in eight place in the Eastern Conference playoff race. What a night.

Additional Photos

Via bigbadrussian.tumblr.com

Photo credit: Bruce Bennett

Photo credit: Haraz N. Ghanbari

Photo credit: Bruce Bennett

Bonus: Video of a Russian Bear

Why not?