OTTAWA, Ontario — (AP) — Alex Ovechkin broke the NHL record for the most goaltenders scored on, beating Leevi Merilainen in overtime to give the Washington Capitals a 1-0 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night.
Merilainen became the 179th goalie Ovechkin has scored against, breaking a tie with Jaromir Jagr atop the career list. The 22-year-old rookie from Finland was appearing in his eighth game in the league.
“You have to know when he’s on the ice he’s going to shoot everything like he did today,” Merilainen said.
Ovechkin’s goal came on his third shot on net and fifth attempt. He took a pass from Rasmus Sandin on a 2-on-1 breakaway and fired it past Merilainen.
“I knew I should take a shot as soon as I can because I thought he may be thinking maybe I will pass it back to Sandy,” Ovechkin said.
“It was a good one, and it went in, so I’ll take it.”
Earlier in January, …