Welcome back to NHL Predictions. Each day, Last Word on Hockey takes a look at the games that are scheduled and offers insight and analysis to help predict who will be victorious in head-to-head matchups.

Alex Ovechkin, the Washington Capitals, Hockey Fights Cancer and the V Foundation launched an initiative to raise awareness and money for pediatric cancer research in connection with his pursuit of the NHL career goal-scoring record.

Analyzing Sunday’s Edmonton Oilers at Washington Capitals odds and lines, with NHL expert picks, predictions and best bets.

Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals is closing in on the NHL goals record of 894 held by Wayne Gretzky. Ovechkin has 884 goals and needs 10 to tie and 11 to break the record.

First Period_1, Edmonton, Draisaitl 42 (McDavid, Nugent-Hopkins), 1:42 (pp). 2, Washington, Wilson 26 (Roy, Dubois), 17:15. 3, Washington, Chychrun 17 (Strome, Wilson ...

They were bad. Against a big, heavy team that likes to lean on its opponents, the Oilers should have been able to rely on a speed and transition game, but none of that was there. They were smaller and slower, which always means a loss.

The Edmonton Oilers got stomped again, this time 7-3 by the Washington Capitals, a game that saw the Oilers utterly collapse as the game went along. It was an embarrassing performance and one that might well point to some major weaknesses on the team that will need addressing at the trade deadline.

I’m cheering for Ovie, too. I just prefer him scoring lots against other teams. I read a tweet yesterday morning saying that Alex Ovechkin is now the first player in NHL history to score 200 goals in three different decades.