Photo: John McCreary/NHLI via Getty Images
Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 731st and 732nd career goals against the New York Rangers in the team’s Opening Night contest, a night that also featured rookie Hendrix Lapierre scoring his first NHL goal. The goals tied and passed Marcel Dionne for fifth place on the NHL’s all-time Goals list.
The first goal came at the 2:37 mark of the third period and on the power play and was assisted by Anthony Mantha and John Carlson and gave the Capitals a 4-0 lead.
#GR8 Goal No. 731 pic.twitter.com/uradZLICWi
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) October 14, 2021
Great shot of Ovechkin goal #731@NoVa_Caps @Capitals #ALLCAPS @NYRangers pic.twitter.com/BresTvEZGb
— Evan Foster (@EvanNoles) October 14, 2021
The career milestone was also Ovechkin’s first goal of the 2021-22 season and marked the Capitals’ captain’s 270 power play marker, putting him within five of passing Dave Andreychuk for the most in NHL history.
Additionally, with 270 career power play goals, Ovechkin is five power play goals shy of passing Dave Andreychuk (274ppg) for the most power play goals in NHL history.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) October 14, 2021
The second goal came at the 12:01 mark of the third period, giving the Caps a 5-1 lead. Evgeny Kuznetsov and Trevor van Riemsdyk were credited with assists on the play.
we aren’t breathing pic.twitter.com/vJplMB73kF
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) October 14, 2021
After the goal was scored, a video message from Marcel Dionne was displayed on the Capital One Arena jumbotron, congratulating The Great Eight on the milestone.
Marcel Dionne recognizes #Gr8ness#ALLCAPS | @LeidosInc pic.twitter.com/CurIwI8W1x
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) October 14, 2021
Ovechkin is now nine goals behind Brett Hull for fourth all-time and is behind only Hull, Jaromir Jagr, Gordie Howe, and Wayne Gretzky in Goals Scored for his NHL career.
By Diane Doyle
Incredible start for the Great 8!