Tom Wilson is continuing to climb the Washington Capitals franchise record books during his 13th season with the team.
After scoring two goals against the New York Islanders in a 4-1 win on Sunday afternoon, Wilson now ranks eighth on the Capitals’ all-time goal list. The 31-year-old winger has scored 194 career goals with the Caps, leaping over Dave Christian (193) and former teammate TJ Oshie (192) on Long Island.
Washington Capitals all-time goals leaders
Player
Games
Goals
Alex Ovechkin
1,517
909
Peter Bondra
961
472
Mike Gartner
758
397
Nicklas Backstrom
1,105
271
Mike Ridley
588
218
Alexander Semin
469
197
Bengt-Ake Gustafsson
629
195
Tom Wilson
861
194
Dave Christian
504
193
TJ Oshie
567
192
Wilson tied Oshie’s total earlier in the week after he potted an empty-net goal against his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs with just two seconds remaining in regulation. Overall, Wilson has eight points (4g, 4a) in his last four games, which led to him being named the NHL’s Third Star of the Week.
According to the Capitals, Wilson has also scored the game-winner in two of Washington’s last four games, which takes him past Oshie (28), Alexander Semin (28), Kelly Miller (29), and Dale Hunter (29) for the ninth-most game-winning goals by a Capital with 30.
The burly winger’s first goal against the Islanders came with the Capitals on a power play in the first period. After Ryan Leonard snapped a cross-seam pass to Alex Ovechkin, the Caps captain froze the Islanders’ defense and goaltender Ilya Sorokin with a shot pass that Wilson deftly guided into the back of the net.
The marker was Wilson’s fifth power-play goal of the season, which ranks first on the Capitals and tied for the fourth-most in the NHL.
Wilson’s second goal was a gift from Sorokin, who whiffed on a clearing attempt behind his net. Instead of finding a teammate’s stick, the Russian netminder handed Wilson the puck right in front of his now-empty cage.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had one of those in my career,” Wilson said postgame. “A goalie turnover up the middle like that. I just made a bit of a read and got lucky to knock it down. I’ll take it.”
After adding an assist on an Aliaksei Protas empty-net goal, Wilson has 29 points (15g, 14a) in 26 games this season, putting him on pace for 47 goals, 44 assists, and 91 points. He leads the Capitals in goals, points, power-play goals, power-play points (7), even-strength points (22), points-per-game (1.12), and hits (69).
Coming into Tuesday night’s game against the Los Angeles Kings, Wilson is riding a five-game point streak. In 21 career games against the Kings, Wilson has only four points (1g, 3a), which is his lowest total against any non-expansion (Golden Knights) or recently relocated (Mammoth) team.