Last night in Raleigh, North Carolina, Alexander Ovechkin broke a 1-1 tie half way through the second period with his 61st goal of the season. That’s the most goals scored in one season by any Capital ever. It’s also enough, with five crucial games left in the regular season, to give Ovechkin time to pass Luc Robitaille’s all time record of 63 goals in a season by a left wing.

More importantly, Viktor Kozlov scored a tie-breaking shootout goal after overtime, helping the Capitals win a game that keeps their playoff hopes alive. The Capitals came into last night’s game two points out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference (a win is two points, an overtime or shootout loss is one) and five points behind their opponent, the Carolina Hurricanes, for first place in the Southeast Division. Naturally, things got violent.

In any hockey game, there are players who are expected to hit each other. They aren’t the best goal scorers or skaters, but they provide toughness to support the players that are. It’s only when the stakes are really high that the skilled guys get violent. Last night, Carolina’s best player, Eric Staal, tripped Caps goalie Cristobal Huet. Not to be outdone, Ovechkin punched Hurricanes defenseman Tim Gleason in the back of the head. Now that the dust has settled, the Caps have a clear view to the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker