Before Alex Ovechkin’s historic empty-netter against the Winnipeg Jets, Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov appeared to have a clear shot for a goal. Ovechkin initially beat the Jets’ defense with a pass to an uncovered Kuznetsov, who recognized the magnitude of the moment and dumped the puck back to the “Great 8.”
“I gave it to Kuzy, and he was like, ‘I don’t want to take it,’” Ovechkin explained after the Capitals’ 4-1 win, per Samantha Pell of the Washington Post.
Ovechkin slapped the puck in the net for career goal No. 802, moving him past Gordie Howe for second on the NHL’s all-time goal list.
