They got here in droves, on Amtrak or up I-95, clad in purple and belting the ‘O’ within the nationwide anthem.
They took over UBS Area on Sunday afternoon, driving secondary-market costs by way of the roof, turning it right into a Capitals dwelling recreation and buzzing each time Alex Ovechkin touched the puck. They had been hoping to see Purpose No. 895, the document breaker, after Ovechkin tied Wayne Gretzky’s all-time mark with a pair of objectives on Friday evening in D.C., organising historical past for Sunday afternoon on Lengthy Island.
Gretzky was there in a set, and so was NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. So, for that matter, was your entire Tampa Bay Lightning teaching workers and entrance workplace, hoping to bear witness earlier than going through the Rangers on Monday at Madison Sq. Backyard.
They bought the objective they wished. The Islanders denied the Capitals followers the pleasure of a win, although, familiarizing the visiting followers with the title of Marc Gatcomb, who scored twice to steer a 4-1 Islanders victory that retains their slim playoff hopes alive for an additional day.
“He win, we win, all people win-win,” Ilya Sorokin stated, summing up the afternoon aptly.
Sorokin, who had by no means allowed a objective to his good friend Ovechkin earlier than Sunday, gave up a power-play objective to No. 8 at 7:26 of the second interval to set the document, prompting an in-game ceremony that stopped the motion for twenty-four minutes.
In spite of everything that, it was nonetheless 2-1 Islanders.
The Capitals, reality be advised, had seemed slightly preoccupied with the document, maybe to the purpose that it allowed the Islanders a window to seize management of the sport.
That management, nonetheless, didn’t change within the instant aftermath of the document being surpassed, with Gatcomb potting his second objective of the afternoon a mere three minutes after play resumed to increase the result in 3-1.
Bo Horvat had given the Isles a 1-0 lead 7:06 into the match, ripping in Simon Holmstrom’s feed to the low slot. Simply 1:54 later, Gatcomb made it 2-0 off Kyle MacLean’s feed on the push.
“Being part of a second like this and having the ability to contribute to a win for our crew, particularly two large factors for us, it’s cool,” Gatcomb stated. “It’s positively one thing I’ll bear in mind for the remainder of my life. Big day.”
After Ovechkin handed Gretzky, the Capitals breathed slightly simpler, but it surely was the Islanders who did a greater job of staying unaffected by the second.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau made it 4-1 simply 4:20 into the third, jamming within the puck from the appropriate publish and placing it simply previous the objective line, as confirmed by evaluate.
It appeared to flee discover amid all of the Ovechkin-related hoopla, however that equated to a powerful 60-minute effort from the Islanders towards the perfect crew within the East, albeit one which was undoubtedly a bit distracted by the proceedings.
“I used to be very completely satisfied the way in which we performed at this time,” coach Patrick Roy stated. “I assumed our ‘D’ did an excellent job of breaking out, getting the puck out. I liked the poise that we had and we had been sharp mentally. We stayed sturdy from the begin to the tip.”
Nearly assuredly, it’s too late to lead to something apart from a nominal playoff push — the Islanders would should be practically excellent the remainder of the way in which and get some assist to complete above the lower line.
Nonetheless, there’s little alternative however to attempt.
“We’re nonetheless combating, we nonetheless consider we are able to do it,” Casey Cizikas stated. “Each recreation’s necessary. To get the 2 factors towards one of many [best] groups within the league is a giant enhance.”
