Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images

With a goal in the Capitals’ 4-3 overtime victory on Friday, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin was just three goals shy of reaching the 20-goal plateau yet another time in his storied NHL career. Just one night later, The Great Eight reached this feat with a hat trick against the Detroit Red Wings in a 5-2 victory at Little Caesars Arena.

Ovechkin’s first goal gave the Caps a 2-1 lead at the 9:21 mark of the second period, just 7:02 after T.J. Oshie tied the game at 1-1. John Carlson and Evgeny Kuznetsov were credited with assists on the goal.

Got em w the wrap. @ovi8 pic.twitter.com/4U1gbBuzeh

— Washington 🦃 Capitals (@Capitals) December 1, 2019

Ovechkin’s second and third tallies both came in the closing minute of the third period, with both being empty-net markers. The goals were Ovechkin’s 19th and 20th of the season, giving him his 24th career hat trick and his 137th multi-goal game, inching him to within two of tying Marcel Dionne for sixth-most all-time.

HAT TRICK ALEX OVECHKIN (@ovi8)!!! 🎩🎩🎩 pic.twitter.com/XOioO1kPAJ

— NHL (@NHL) December 1, 2019

Ovechkin has now scored in three consecutive games and his seventh goal all-time on Detroit netminder Jonathan Bernier, giving him 32 different goalies on which he’s scored seven or more times. Ovechkin’s “hatty” is his second in his last three games against the Red Wings. His 24th hat trick also places him in sole possession of another record:

Burying a pair of empty netters to cap a 5-2 @Capitals win tonight, Alex Ovechkin records his 24th career regular season hat trick. That passes Jari Kurri for the most in NHL history by a European-born player

— StatsCentre (@StatsCentre) December 1, 2019

Ovechkin also passes Kurri for the 10th-most hat tricks in NHL history. The hat trick carried the Capitals to a decisive victory over Detroit. His two empty-netters to complete the three-goal performance also moved him among some rare company.

Ovechkin just became the 15th player in NHL history to score at least two empty net goals in a game and the sixth player in NHL history to complete a hat trick with two empty net goals.

— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) December 1, 2019

By Michael Fleetwood

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