Alex Ovechkin put on a show that had the crowd roaring, the hats flying, and the record books getting closer to a rewrite. In the Washington Capitals’ dominant 7-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers, Ovechkin netted three goals in spectacular fashion. First, he rifled a perfect wrist shot past goaltender Calvin Pickard. Then, he did what he does best—scoring from his signature spot on the power play. Finally, he sealed the deal with a long-range empty-netter from deep in his own zone.
That performance put him just 13 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s seemingly untouchable NHL career record of 894 goals. At 39 years old and coming off a 16-game absence earlier this season due to a broken leg, Ovechkin is still proving why he’s one of the greatest goal scorers in hockey history. He’s on pace to surpass the Great One as soon as this spring.
A Record in Sight
Ovechkin himself is keeping things simple, despite the historic chase. “I have pretty good chances to score more,” he said after the game. “But I’ll take three.” With 25 games remaining in the regular season, the question isn't if he'll hit 895—it’s when.
His linemate Dylan Strome, who has assisted on 16 of Ovechkin’s 29 goals this season, understands the challenge ahead. “It’s going to be tough still,” Strome admitted. When asked if reaching 895 was possible within the remaining games, Ovechkin played it cool: “Game by game.”
But if there are more performances like this one, the countdown to history will be short-lived.
The Hunger for More
Few players in the league show the relentless drive that Ovechkin does. Longtime teammate Tom Wilson has witnessed it firsthand. “I’ve never seen a guy so hungry,” Wilson said. “Some guys score and think, ‘OK, I had a good night.’ He comes back to the bench asking if he can go out again right away. It’s been an amazing journey watching him do what he can do.”
On the opposing bench, veteran forward Corey Perry shook his head at how the Oilers allowed Ovechkin so much space. “You give the best goal scorer in the world that kind of time, he’s going to put it in the back of the net,” Perry said.
Ovechkin nearly had four goals on the night. After scoring twice in the second period, he had another prime opportunity in the third but was denied by Pickard. In total, he fired eight shots on net and had four more attempts miss the target.
The Crowd Goes Wild
The fans at Capital One Arena, all 18,573 of them, were electric throughout the night, chanting “Ovi! Ovi!” at every opportunity. The anticipation reached its peak in the final minutes when Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch pulled Pickard for an extra attacker. Even Ovechkin admitted he was surprised by the move, given the three-goal deficit. But that decision worked in the Capitals’ favor as Ovechkin launched a shot from 139 feet out, sending the hats cascading onto the ice.
“They got an elite team with elite offensive players, and 17,000 people in the stands were hoping they’d pull the goalie,” Strome said. “We’ll take it. Obviously, he’ll take it, and it was a lucky, fortunate bounce. But I guess when you have 882 goals, you get those bounces.”
Joining Legends
With his latest performance, Ovechkin continues to cement his name among the all-time greats. His hat trick was the 32nd of his remarkable 20-year career, tying him with Hall of Famer Phil Esposito for fifth-most in NHL history. Additionally, he matched Jaromir Jagr’s record with 135 game-winning goals. One more hat trick will give him 30 for his career, a feat only a handful of players have ever accomplished.
“You cannot write a story and a book of what he’s doing right now at 39,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said. “The goals he’s scoring, he could’ve had six.”
A Goalie’s Nightmare
Capitals netminder Charlie Lindgren is just happy he’s on Ovechkin’s team rather than having to face him. Having played alongside Ovechkin for two-plus seasons, Lindgren has witnessed the Russian superstar’s goal-scoring magic up close. He counts himself lucky to have avoided becoming one of the 181 different goaltenders Ovechkin has scored on.
“It’s just insane, honestly,” Lindgren said. “He just scores in so many different ways. Best hockey player in the world.”
With the way Ovechkin is playing, it's only a matter of time before he makes history. Every game from here on out isn’t just about adding to his goal total—it’s about chasing the ultimate record. And if one thing’s certain, he’s not stopping anytime soon.
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