Alex Ovechkin Becomes NHL’s Goal-Scoring Russian Leader

November 19, 2015 10:17 pm

For the third and final goddamn time, Alex Ovechkin has taken the NHL record for most goals scored by a Russian.

…Justin.

That’s right. While Ovechkin’s first 484th goal was waved off for goalie interference committed by Justin Williams, and Ovechkin’s second 484th goal was waved off for offside zone entry committed by Justin Williams, Ovechkin’s third 484th goal wasn’t ruined by Justin Williams at all. Williams wasn’t even on the ice. Instead, Ovechkin simply crashed the net to tie the game and seize the record.

Career Goal No. 484 @ovi8 is now the leading Russian goal scorer in @NHL history. https://t.co/WRwpm99nwv

— NHL (@NHL) November 20, 2015

Oshie controlled the puck behind the net, then he sent it to the crease. Ovechkin cruised in and took a pass from Backstrom for an effortless goal.

Check out Ovi’s dad Mikhail geeking out in the crowd.

A big milestone, but for Ovechkin it likely doesn’t matter as much as the game at hand.

Alex Ovechkin needed just 777 games to take the record. That sounds like a lot, but it’s far fewer than his fellow countrymen — and Ovechkin did so in a much stingier era for scoring.

Alex Ovechkin (@ovi8) reached the milestone in his 777th career game, 471 fewer contests than Fedorov played in his NHL career (1,248 GP).

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) November 20, 2015

Ovechkin is now in 48th place in the NHL’s all-time goal-scoring leader list, tied with Darryl Sittler. If those last two goals had counted, he’d be in 47th place.

Ovechkin is now 19 goals behind Peter Bondra.

That’s one more record down. What’s next?