Alex Ovechkin completed a hat trick with two empty-net goals and the Washington Capitals beat Detroit 5-2 Saturday night for the Red Wings’ ninth straight loss.
Ovechkin reached 20 goals for the 15th consecutive season and also had an assist. T.J. Oshie had a goal and an assist, Tom Wilson also scored and Evgeny Kuznetsov had three assists. Ilya Samsonov stopped 25 shots.
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Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin scores an empty-net goal during the third period of the team's NHL hockey game against the Detroit Red Wings, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019, in Detroit. (AP PhotoCarlos Osorio)
Washington Capitals right wing T.J. Oshie (77) is greeted by teammates after scoring during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Detroit Red Wings, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019, in Detroit. (AP PhotoCarlos Osorio)
Washington Capitals defenseman Radko Gudas (33) checks Detroit Red Wings defenseman Filip Hronek (17) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019, in Detroit. (AP PhotoCarlos Osorio)
Detroit Red Wings center Frans Nielsen (81) controls the puck next to Washington Capitals defenseman Radko Gudas (33) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019, in Detroit. (AP PhotoCarlos Osorio)
Detroit Red Wings defenseman Dennis Cholowski (21) checks Washington Capitals center Lars Eller (20) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019, in Detroit. (AP PhotoCarlos Osorio)
Robby Fabbri and Luke Glendening scored for Detroit, which has been outscored 24-4 in its last five games. Jonathan Bernier made 29 saves.
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin scores an empty-net goal during the third period of the team's NHL hockey game against the Detroit Red Wings, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019, in Detroit. (AP PhotoCarlos Osorio)
The Capitals scored twice in the second period to erase a 1-0 deficit. Oshie tied it with a power-play goal 2:19 into the period, and Ovechkin’s first goal gave Washington the lead about seven minutes later. Ovechkin put a shot in off Bernier from the bottom of the left circle after swooping behind the net.
Wilson scored his 10th with 5:37 remaining before Glendening pulled Detroit back within one 9 seconds later. It was Glendening’s fourth goal.
The 34-year-old Ovechkin scored into an empty net with 1:35 and 55 seconds left.
Washington Capitals right wing T.J. Oshie (77) is greeted by teammates after scoring during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Detroit Red Wings, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019, in Detroit. (AP PhotoCarlos Osorio)
NOTES: Washington C Nicklas Backstrom, out with an upper-body injury, was scheduled to take part in Saturday’s morning skate but is not ready to return. ... Detroit acquired AHL G Eric Comrie from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for minor league D Vili Saarijarvi. Calvin Pickard was recalled from AHL Grand Rapids and played in Friday’s 6-1 loss at Philadelphia after Jimmy Howard suffered a lower-body injury Thursday in a 6-0 loss to Toronto. Howard is on the injured list. ... The Red Wings also assigned D Jonathan Ericsson to Grand Rapids.
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Capitals: Visit San Jose on Tuesday night.
Washington Capitals defenseman Radko Gudas (33) checks Detroit Red Wings defenseman Filip Hronek (17) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019, in Detroit. (AP PhotoCarlos Osorio)
Red Wings: Host the New York Islanders on Monday night.
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Detroit Red Wings center Frans Nielsen (81) controls the puck next to Washington Capitals defenseman Radko Gudas (33) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019, in Detroit. (AP PhotoCarlos Osorio)
Detroit Red Wings defenseman Dennis Cholowski (21) checks Washington Capitals center Lars Eller (20) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019, in Detroit. (AP PhotoCarlos Osorio)
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — You’ve done something special when Torii Hunter, a nine-time Gold Glove Award winner known for his acrobatic catches, calls what you just did “probably the greatest defensive game I’ve ever seen.”
That was the praise Hunter heaped on the Los Angeles Angels' Jo Adell after the right fielder made three homer-robbing catches, the last a spectacular leaping grab while crashing into the seats near the right-field foul pole in the ninth inning, in a 1-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday night.
“I’ve never seen three home run robberies in one game, and I’ve never seen a guy on the third one fall into the stands, catch the ball and keep his feet in like he’s a wide receiver,” said the 50-year-old Hunter, a special assistant to the general manager who watched the game from the bench. “I was jumping up and down. I almost passed out.”
Adell, who struggled on defense for several years before transforming into a Gold Glove finalist in 2024, leaped high above the yellow line on the wall in straight-way right field to deny Cal Raleigh of a solo homer in the first inning, and made a nearly identical catch to against Josh Naylor in the eighth.
J.P. Crawford then led off the ninth with a drive toward the right-field corner, where Adell raced toward the ball, leaped to glove it, flipped over the low wall and fell into the first row of seats before holding his glove up to present the catch, which was upheld after a replay review.
“After the first one, I was pretty fired up,” Adell said. “When I got to the second one, which looked identical to the first, I thought, ‘Wow, my routes are on point tonight.’ The third one was just grit. Top of the ninth, you have to get it done. It was crazy.
“You just get there, then it’s decision-making. The ball was hit high enough to where I could get there. I watched it (into my glove), fell over and ended up in somebody’s lap. I don’t know who it was, but it was a softer landing than I expected. The fans were as fired up as me.”
According to Inside Edge, Adell has 10 home run robberies since 2020, tied with Kyle Tucker of the Dodgers for the most in the big leagues. The outfielders with the most home run robberies in the entire 2025 season were Jacob Young of the Nationals and Fernando Tatis of the Padres. Both had four.
This was believed to be the first time in baseball history a player has robbed three homers in one game.
“It was like a movie scene,” Hunter said about Adell’s third catch. “It was like the music was playing, then he caught the ball, then he went down and we didn’t see him anymore. The music paused, he came up and said, ‘Yeah!’ I started cheering and almost blacked out.”
Hunter, the former Minnesota Twins, Angels and Detroit Tigers star, has worked extensively with Adell on defense during the past few years.
“His impact has been huge,” Adell said. “It’s mental when you’re out there — it’s a mindset of going to get the baseball, being aggressive. Early, I was caught in between on some plays, and sometimes that happens.
“When you err on the side of being aggressive and trying to make the plays, you’d be surprised at how many plays you make. That’s the mindset Torii had all those years, winning all those Gold Gloves.”
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Los Angeles Angels left fielder Jo Adell (7) jumps up to catch a ball hit by Seattle Mariners' Josh Naylor (12) during the eighth inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
Los Angeles Angels catcher Logan O'Hoppe (14) and left fielder Jo Adell (7) embrace at the end of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
Los Angeles Angels Jo Adell (7) is greeted by teammates at the end of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
Los Angeles Angels left fielder Jo Adell (7) catches a ball hit by Seattle Mariners' J.P. Crawford during the ninth inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
Los Angeles Angels left fielder Jo Adell (7) catches a ball hit by Seattle Mariners' J.P. Crawford during the ninth inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
