Ehlers scores in OT as Jets beat Capitals 3-2 to clinch playoff spot, overcome Ovechkin's 889th goal

WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- — Nikolaj Ehlers scored on a breakaway 1:28 into overtime and the Winnipeg Jets clinched a playoff spot, beating the Washington Capitals 3-2 on Tuesday night in a matchup of the NHL's top two teams.

Josh Morrissey and Mason Appleton also scored for the Jets, who swept the two-game season series with the Capitals — both wins coming in overtime. Connor Hellebuyck finished with 27 saves.

Alex Ovechkin scored his 889th goal to move six away from breaking Wayne Gretzky's NHL record, and Andrew Masngiapane also scored for the Capitals. Logan Thompson had 22 saves.

The Eastern Conference-leading Capitals were in a line change in overtime when Ehlers grabbed the puck and fired a wrist shot past Thompson for his 24th goal of the season.

Ovechkin had tied the game 2-2 with a one-timer that went through Hellebuyck’s pads with four minutes remaining in the third period.

Takeaways

Jets: Winnipeg marked its third consecutive season making the playoffs and seventh time in the past eight years. The Jets had to adjust to playing without injured forward Gabriel Vilardi (upper-body injury), who was replaced by Alex Iafallo. The juggling moved Adam Lowry up to the second line to center Ehlers and Appleton.

Capitals: Washington is now 9-1-1 in its last 11 games. The Capitals went into the game defeating 28 of the league’s other 31 teams this season ­— except Winnipeg, Minnesota (which they play Thursday) and Chicago (which visits Washington on April 4).

Key moment

Ovechkin’s 36th goal of the season tied the score 2-2 with four minutes left in the third period. It came a minute after Hellebuyck denied Tom Wilson on a one-timer.

Key stat

Winnipeg is now 37-0-1 when leading after two periods.

Up next

Capitals visit Minnesota on Thursday, and Jets host New Jersey on Friday.

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