Photo: NHL
Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 50th goal of the year against the Las Vegas Knights on Wednesday. This was the ninth season of his career of scoring 50 or more goals, tying a record currently held by Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy.
The goal came at 13:36 of the third period and tied the game 3-3. It was his second goal of the game.
Ovechkin’s 50th goal of the season marked his 1,410th career point (780g, 630a), moving him past Dale Hawerchuk for the 20th-most points in NHL history.
Tonight also marked Ovechkin’s 158th career multi-goal game, tying Brett Hull for the second most multi-goal games in NHL history. Ovechkin now trails only Wayne Gretzky (189) for the most in NHL history.
The goal was also the 780th goal of Ovechkin’s career. He now needs just 20 goals to reach the 800 goal threshold, 21 more to tie Gordie Howe for second place on the all time list, and 22 more to pass Howe.
Ovechkin’s prior seasons of scoring at least 50 goals were: 2005-06, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, and 2018-19.
Bossy scored at least 50 goals in every season starting with 1977-78 through 1985-86; i.e. nine consecutive seasons. Gretzky had scored at least 50 goals from every season 1979-80 through 1986-87 and also the 1988-89 season.
Ovechkin addressed the media following the game.
FROM THE WASHINGTON CAPITALS
ARLINGTON, Va. – Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 780th career goal and 50th of the season Wednesday night against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena to reach the 50-goal milestone for the ninth time in his career, tying Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy for the most in NHL history.
Ovechkin also became the first player aged 36 or older in NHL history to score 50 goals in a season. Ovechkin and Bossy are the only two players to record nine 50-goal seasons with one team (Bossy: New York Islanders). Since Ovechkin entered the NHL in 2005-06, no other player has more than two 50-goal seasons. This season, Ovechkin is tied for third in the NHL with 50 goals.
On March 15 against the New York Islanders, Ovechkin passed Jaromir Jagr (766g) for sole possession of third place on the NHL’s all-time goals list. Ovechkin passed Jagr in 477 fewer games played and became the NHL’s all-time European goal scorer. In addition to Jagr, Ovechkin has passed Marcel Dionne (731) and Brett Hull (741) on the all-time goals list this season.
Ovechkin has averaged 0.61 goals-per-game at this point in his career, ranking fourth in NHL history (minimum 500 games played). Additionally, Ovechkin owns the NHL’s second-best goals per game rate (0.59) since his 30th birthday on Sept. 17, 2015 (Toronto’s Auston Matthews: 0.64 goals per game). That’s tied for the fourth-highest goals per game rate by a player in his 30s in NHL history, only behind Newsy Lalonde (1.26 goals per game from 1917-22, 1926-27), Bobby Hull (0.62 goals per game from 1968-72, 1979-80) and Mario Lemieux (1995-97, 2000-06). Gordie Howe averaged 0.42 goals per game in his 30s, while Gretzky averaged 0.34, the only two players ahead of Ovechkin on the NHL’s all-time goals list.
Ovechkin was selected by the Capitals in the first round, first overall, in the 2004 NHL Draft. Ovechkin has registered 1,410 points (780g, 630a) in 1,272 career games with Washington. Ovechkin ranks first in franchise history in goals (780), points (1,410), power-play goals (285), game-winning goals (121), overtime goals (24), shots (6,054) and multi-goal games (158).
Since entering the NHL at the beginning of the 2005-06 season, Ovechkin leads the NHL in goals (780), points (1,410) power-play goals (285), power-play points (528) and game-winning goals (121). In addition, Ovechkin leads the NHL in goals since 1982-83 despite beginning his NHL career in 2005. He is the only player in the NHL to score 30 or more goals in 16 of the last 17 seasons. Since 2005-06, he holds a 265-goal lead over the next closest player.
In his career, Ovechkin has won a Stanley Cup, a Conn Smythe Trophy, a Calder Trophy, an Art Ross Trophy, three Hart Memorial Trophies, three Ted Lindsay Awards and nine Maurice Richard Trophies. He is the only player in NHL history to win a Stanley Cup, a Conn Smythe, a Calder, an Art Ross, a Hart, a Ted Lindsay and a Maurice Richard Trophy.
Ovechkin scored his 49th goal of the season at 2:57 of the second period, giving the Capitals a 2-1 lead. The marker gave him the record for most goals in a season by a 36-year-old or older, passing Teemu Selanne.
By Diane Doyle
Absolutely amazing player. And he’d have likely had the hat trick if Kuzy doesn’t push first goal over the line. I don’t blame Kuzy (of course) as a defender may have stopped it prior to crossing, but the puck had the speed to trickle across if not stopped.
50 at 36 is mind boggling.