Photo: NHL via Getty Images

After what seemed like an eternity, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin notched his 50th goal of the 2018-19 season at the 14:35 mark of the third period of play against the Tampa Bay Lightning, adding another goal in an eventual 6-3 Capitals win. While his first tally makes him the first player in the league to 50 this season, it also moves The Great Eight up the NHL record books yet again. 

Ovechkin’s 50th in 2018-19 is the eighth time he has reached the half-century mark in goals in his 14-season NHL career. He joins Mike Bossy and The Great One, Wayne Gretzky as the only other players who have scored 50 goals in at least eight seasons in NHL history. Bossy did it in the 1977-78, 1978-79, 1979-80, 1980-81, 1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1984-85, and 1985-86 seasons, while Gretzky did so in the 1979-80, 1980-81, 1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1984-85, 1985-86, 1986-87, and 1988-89). Both Bossy and Gretzky scored 50 goals nine times in their NHL careers.

Ovechkin’s 50^th goal of the season was also his 657^th career goal, breaking a tie with Brendan Shanahan for 13th on the All-Time Goals Scored List. The next target on the All-Time List is fellow left wing Luc Robitaille, who ranks 12th on the All-Time list with 668.  Ovechkin will most likely achieve that milestone early in the 2019-20 season.

At the time, it increased the Caps lead in the game to 5-2.  Ovechkin added another goal to his total when he scored on a power play goal at the 16:15 mark, which gave him his 247th power play goal, breaking a tie for fifth place with Phil Esposito and tying him for fourth place with Robataille at 248. Ovechkin’s two-goal game was his 132nd of his career, passing Anaheim Ducks great and Hockey Hall of Famer Teemu Selanne for eighth on the all-time list.

Alex Ovechkin registered his 132nd career multi-goal game Saturday to surpass Teemu Selanne for sole possession of eighth on the NHL’s all-time list. #NHLStats #WSHvsTBL pic.twitter.com/Y6BlDICZk3

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) March 31, 2019

Next on the power play goal list is, ironically enough, Selanne, who is third with 255. The Caps came away with a 6-3 win, helping them maintain their three-point lead in the Metropolitan Division over the New York Islanders, who also won tonight.

Further Reading
Capitals Beat Tampa Bay 6-3
Ovechkin Scores 49th Goal and Ties Brendan Shanahan
Ovechkin Reaches Milestones on March 16 vs Tampa Bay