Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin scored his 873rd goal (image credit: IMAGN)
Alex Ovechkin’s 20th NHL season is perhaps more interesting than his previous 19 for the fans, along with the Stanley Cup-winning 2017-18 season. He reached another major milestone this season, after scoring his 20th goal on Saturday against Nashville Predators.
Ovechkin scored an empty-net goal during the Washington Capitals’ 4-1 win. That goal made him the third player in NHL history to achieve 20 seasons with 20 or more goals. He joined Gordie Howe and Ron Francis in the exclusive group. Ovechkin and Howe are the only players to accomplish this feat in consecutive seasons.
The milestone is another feat added to Ovechkin’s legendary career. He has 873 career goals, just 22 shy of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894 goals. Gretzky has held it since 1994. At 39 years old, Ovechkin is still playing at a high level despite missing 16 games earlier this season due to a lower-body injury. Along with his 20 goals, he also has 12 assists in 27 games.
Earlier this season, Ovechkin reached 700 career assists (currently 709), joining an elite group of players. His 700-plus goals and 700-plus assists place him with the likes of Gretzky. His consistency and scoring ability have earned him nine Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophies for leading the league in goals. He has also won the Hart Trophy as the league’s MVP three times.
Meanwhile, the Capitals are having a strong season, leading the Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference with a 28-10-5 record and Ovechkin’s leadership and scoring have been crucial to their success. Ovechkin’s fans will hope for him to carry the momentum in their next game against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday.
Alex Ovechkin’s empty-net goal and Capitals win over Predators
The Washington Capitals beat the Nashville Predators 4-1, extending their point streak to seven games. Tom Wilson scored the first goal at 9:03 of the second period with a power-play shot through Juuse Saros’ legs. Filip Forsberg tied it 1-1 at 16:14 of the second period with a wrist shot on the power play.
In the third period, Ethen Frank scored his first NHL goal at 8:30, giving Washington a 2-1 lead. Andrew Mangiapane added another goal at 14:54, backhanding a shot into the net off Brandon Duhaime’s pass.
Alex Ovechkin secured the win with an empty-net goal at 19:01. Logan Thompson made 32 saves for Washington.
