Photo credit: Gregg Forwerck
Three thousand, sixty-four days after getting drafted at PNC Arena way back in 2004, Alex Ovechkin has scored his 400th career goal at the very same place, recording an empty-net goal against the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday night. Unlike many of his goals, this one was unspectacular. With the Caps up 3-2 in the final minute, Ovi picked up Nicklas Backstrom‘s pass from the neutral zone and popped the puck into an empty net. Ovi hardly seemed to notice it went in, calmly skating back to the bench without his trademark glove-kiss celebration. The goal was anything but ordinary though. Ovi has become the sixth-fastest player to reach the 400-goal mark, underlining the resurgence of the Great Eight under Adam Oates.
GIF by Ian Oland.
While Ovi may have seemed relaxed, Caps fans in attendance were not, particularly reader Sam B. and his friends, who held up “Ovi 400” signs for CSN’s cameras.
“It’s a big number,” Ovechkin told Joe B. “You know it’s a big opportunity for me to be with the best players out there. To reach 400 means a lot.
It should’ve been Ovi’s night alone, but he was happy to share the glory.
“[Philipp Grubauer] was our best player tonight,” Ovi told the press after the game. “He was unbelievable.”
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Photos
Photo credit: Gregg Forwerck
Photo credit: Grant Halverson
Photo credit: Washington Capitals Instagram
Photo credit: Ian Oland
Photo credit: @HMof2
Photo credit: @csl104
Photo credit: @jbk_ltd
Congratulatory Tweets
congrats to @ovi8 on his 400th goal… pretty special moment… only 399 more for me and we're tied #ohcaptainmycaptain #stayhot
— Michael Latta (@Latta17) December 21, 2013
Congrats @ovi8 on #400 goals. You now have 399 more goals than snarples wins. #Spaces #Punted #OnTheTeeBox
— Steven Oleksy (@StevenOleksy) December 21, 2013
Congrats to @ovi8 – just a quick 400 for the kid!!
— Brooks Laich (@brookslaich) December 21, 2013
Additional reporting by Ian Oland.
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