Austrian in NHL

Rossi scores in Minnesota victory, Kasper also celebrates

Marco Rossi celebrates his important goal.(Bild: AP/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

After a successful end to the year, the teams of Austrian legionnaires Marco Rossi and Marco Kasper were once again able to celebrate victories on their first matchday of 2025 in the North American Ice Hockey League NHL.

Rossi, from Vorarlberg, scored a goal in his Minnesota Wild's 4:3 shootout win away at the Washington Capitals on Thursday. Kasper from Carinthia was able to celebrate a 5-4 win with his Detroit Red Wings at the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Rossi helped the Wild tie the game 4-4 with his 15th goal of the season in the 52nd minute, only Matt Boldy scored in the shootout. Even without star forward Kirill Kaprisov and captain Jared Spurgeon, who remain injured, Minnesota celebrated its fourth win in the last five games. Rossi and Co. are the fourth-best team in the league, just behind Washington.

Detroit also wins
Alexander Ovechkin scored for the Capitals in the 36th minute to make it 2-2. The Russian now has 871 NHL goals, just 23 shy of Wayne Gretzky's all-time record (894). Ovechkin has scored three times in four games since his comeback after a five-week injury break, but missed the decisive penalty on Thursday.

Marco Kasper(Bild: APA/Getty Images via AFP/GETTY IMAGES/BRUCE BENNETT)

Kasper saw 10:36 minutes of ice time in his Red Wings' away win. The match-winner for Detroit was Jonatan Berggren, who came straight from the penalty box and scored 36 seconds before the final buzzer.