WASHINGTON, April 3. Russian superstar forward and Washington Capitals’ captain Alexander Ovechkin continues to inch closer to Wayne Gretzky's all-time NHL goals record, as he now stands just two away from tying The Great One after scoring again on Wednesday night against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Capitals fans roared as Ovechkin netted another puck last night during a 5-on-3 power play in the second period, although it was for naught as Carolina cruised to a 5-1 win, clinching a playoff berth for the seventh straight season in the process.
Commenting about being the latest netminder to be victimized by Ovechkin, Carolina Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen said: "You give him that shot, he's probably going to score. I think pretty much everyone knew that was going in."
In their previous game, the Washington Capitals ended a three-game losing streak by defeating the Boston Bruins 4-3, but couldn't continue their winning ways against the Hurricanes, who took care of business on their home ice at Lenovo Arena.
Andersen had nothing but praise for Ovechkin after the game, marvelling at the Russian's virtuoso skills: "That's the cool part about his shot and his gift of scoring."
"He's been a heck of a player for 20 years now so that stuff is all deserving and all the attention he's getting is great," the Hurricanes goalie continued. "But we have a job to do and our focus on this game was to come in and play our game against a really good opponent opponent."
Andersen added some levity to being scored on by Ovechkin: "Have you really played in the NHL if you haven't gotten scored on by Ovi?"
Carolina Head Coach Rod Brind'Amour also wasn't shy about praising Ovechkin after the game: "We've seen a hundred of those here basically in that exact same spot. You've got to give him credit, he's the best to ever play to score in that spot."
"He's going to get it. It's just a matter of time," Brind'Amour added, alluding to "Ovi's" chase of Gretzky.
The Carolina Hurricanes will play the Capitals again on April 10 in Washington.
With his goal against the Hurricanes last night, Ovechkin tied the NHL record for goals scored by 39-year-olds (39 goals), now sharing the mark with Canadian legend Gordie Howe, who set the record during the NHL’s 1967-1968 season.
Ovechkin also surpassed Gretzky’s record for goals in the final minute of regular periods and overtime after netting a goal against the Hurricanes with less than a minute in the second (99 goals).
Ovechkin now has 39 goals and 27 assists in 59 games this season. Despite missing 16 games earlier in the season with a broken leg, Ovechkin is tied for third-most goals in the NHL this year, and is now second in NHL history with 892 goals, trailing only the Great One himself Wayne Gretzky of Canada, who had 894 goals in his NHL career.
Canadian-American ice hockey star Wayne Gretzky's career spanned twenty seasons over four different NHL clubs. From 1979 and 1999, Gretzky, considered by many to be the greatest hockey player of all-time, broke numerous NHL records, including the one for goals scored.
Ovechkin, 39, is signed with the Washington Capitals through 2026. The team, which has already clinched a playoff spot, has seven games left in the regular season.
Ovechkin has played his entire NHL career with the Washington Capitals, who selected him with the 42nd pick in the 2004 draft. The Russian superstar led the Caps to a Stanley Cup title in 2018, the only one of his career, and the only one in the club's history.
In 2008, 2012 and 2014, "Ovie," as he is called by his fans, won gold medals at the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Championships to go along with his two silver and four bronze medals at the world championships.
During a rally of the newly-elected US president’s supporters at the Capital One Arena in Washington on January 20, US President Donald Trump called Russian hockey player Alexander Ovechkin "a great player."