Ovechkin staying upbeat despite early-season struggles with Capitals

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Alex Ovechkin’s road to becoming the first player to score 900 NHL goals has been a slog through the first month of this season.

The NHL’s all-time leader in goals has scored twice in the Washington Capitals’ first 12 games, including none in the past four, leaving him stuck on 899 heading into a visit from the St. Louis Blues at Capital One Arena in Washington on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, MNMT, truTV, TNT).

But Ovechkin is doing his best not to get frustrated.

“Yeah, a little struggling,” the 40-year-old forward said Monday. “But overall, we just have to stick to the plan and keep working and eventually you will score.”

Ovechkin didn’t go more than three games without scoring a goal last season and tied for third in the NHL with 44 despite missing 16 games with a fractured left fibula. That included scoring his 895th goal to overtake Wayne Gretzky (894) for the most in NHL history on April 6 at the New York Islanders.

But the goals have not come easily for the Capitals captain thus far this season, his 21st in the NHL. This is his second four-game goal drought, including one to start the season.

He’s hoping his next goal will start one of his hot streaks that helped him break a record most previously thought was unreachable. Ovechkin had six goals during a five-game goal streak that culminated with his record-breaking goal.

“Sometimes you can’t score like five or six games, and then you score 10 games in a row,” he said. “So yeah, we’ll see.”

Capitals coach Spencer Carbery views Ovechkin’s early-season struggles as emblematic of Washington’s problems producing offensively as a team. The Capitals (6-5-1) are tied with the Philadelphia Flyers for 26th in the NHL by averaging 2.58 goals per game and have scored only five goals in their past four (0-3-1). Washington was second in the League last season with 3.49 goals per game and finished first in the Eastern Conference (51-22-9).

Ovechkin, the NHL record holder with 326 power-play goals, usually drives the Capitals power play, but he has yet to score on the man-advantage. Washington is 26th in the League at 15 percent (6-for-40).

“Overall, 5-on-5 I haven’t minded his game overall through the first 12 games,” Carbery said. “Power play has been an issue, and that’s a product of our whole power play as a group. So, I think that negatively affects him.

“When he’s not getting opportunities, [offensive]-zone time, his shot off, scoring chances, you name it, it’s not a good thing.”

Ovechkin acknowledged that missing about a week of training camp with a lower-body injury potentially contributed to lack of production so far. He returned for Washington’s final two preseason games, but his timing still appears to be off 12 games into the regular season.

“Of course, it [stinks] when in training camp you try to get in shape and you miss the ice, you miss off-ice workouts,” Ovechkin said. “But right now, you just have to catch your timing and, obviously, you don’t have to think about it much. As soon as you start thinking about, ‘Well, you scored two goals in 12 games,’ or whatever, you’re just going to put pressure on yourself. You don’t have to do it. You just have to go out there and do as much as you can and the best that you can for your team.”

Each of Ovechkin’s goals this season -- against the Minnesota Wild on Oct. 17 and the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 24. -- came on won face-off plays in the right circle. He’s had games where he’s had multiple chances but was unable to finish.

Ovechkin’s 7.4 shooting percentage would be the lowest of his NHL career if he continues at that rate and is down 11.2 percent from his NHL career-high of 18.6 last season. He had nine shot attempts in a 4-3 shootout loss at the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday, but only three went on net. Five of his attempts were blocked and one missed the net.

The missed shot was one of his trademark one-timers from the left circle with Washington on the power play with 2:18 left in the third period and seeking the go-ahead goal. Instead, it sailed over the crossbar.

“Power play can help players like ‘O’s’ 5-on-5 game,” Carbery said. “Why? Because when you’re feeling good on the power play, when you’re touching the puck, when you’re getting opportunities, when you’re shooting it on net, you go back after the bench after that power play and, whether you score or not, you feel good about the game. You feel good you just touched the puck, you had three shots, you were in the zone, you were around the net.

“And right now, that is few and far between.”

Ovechkin had a similar slow start two seasons ago, when he also scored only two goals in his first 12 games. That slump extended into January with Ovechkin scoring just eight goals in his first 43 games. He erupted to score 23 in his final 36 after that, though, and finished the season with 31.

His teammates are hopeful Ovechkin will rediscover his scoring touch quicker this season.

“In my time here, he’s gone through a couple of times where he hasn’t scored in a little, but I think anyone could use some confidence,” center Dylan Strome said. “I also think we can definitely create some more open shots on the power play. I think he has the most power-play goals of all-time, so usually when he scores it gets kicked off on the power play and it leads into 5-on-5 and good things happen.

“So, I think the better our power play, the quicker he’s going to get back on the horse here.”

Maybe Ovechkin’s 900th goal will be the one that gives him and the Capitals the jolt they need. He admitted the milestone has been on his mind.

“Well, of course,” he said.” Nobody scores 900, so it would be nice to be the first one.”