Alex Ovechkin ties ‘one of my idols’ Mario Lemieux for 10th all-time in goals

January 18, 2020 2:14 pm

Alex Ovechkin scored on former teammate Semyon Varlamov for his sixth goal in the last three games. Newly-resigned Nicklas Backstrom had the primary assist.

The goal, Ovechkin’s 32nd of the season, gave the Russian machine 690 for his career, tying him with Mario Lemieux for tenth on the NHL’s all-time goals list.

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After the Islanders failed to convert on a chance, the Capitals got one of their own as the puck rimmed around the boards. Nicklas Backstrom picked up the loose puck and sent a stunning pass onto the tape of Ovechkin’s stick, sending the Capitals captain on a partial breakaway. Ovechkin wristed a shot to the far side of the net, beating Varly easily.

🚨 #690 for @ovi8 ! #CapsIsles #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/CCKsZU2jec

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 18, 2020

Glove. Kiss. Celebrate.

“It’s great. He’s one of my idols when I’m growing up,” Ovechkin said to Sportsnet of Lemieux. “I get lucky. I have a time to play against him, was on the ice with him a couple times. Those names, they’re legends and to be close to those guys, it’s pretty impressive.”

The Great 8 needed 1,133 games to hit 690 while Lemieux, whose career was dotted with battles with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and back problems, did it in 915 games.

Ovechkin is nearing the 700-goal plateau and could move into eighth on the all-time goalscoring list in the coming weeks. With five more goals this season, Ovechkin would pass such hockey legends as Mario, Steve Yzerman, and Mark Messier – three of the greatest players of the 80s and 90s.

If Ovi can score one more time against the Islanders today, he would also secure a new personal record.

According to @JoeBpXp, Alex Ovechkin has never had multi-goal games in three consecutive games. If he can score one more time today, he will do it for the first time in his career.

— Ian Oland (@ianoland) January 18, 2020

Ovechkin (32) now sits third in the NHL goals behind David Pastrnak (36) and Auston Matthews (34).

It's Ovechkin's 32nd goal of the season, which ranks third in the NHL (David Pastrnak: 36; Auston Matthews: 34). Ovechkin has scored six goals in his last three games and eight goals in January, which is the second most in the NHL (Nikita Kucherov: 9).

— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) January 18, 2020

After the game is over, he’ll jet to Mexico to rest his body for the second half of the season.