Alex Ovechkin is having one of the greatest stretches of his Hall of Fame career. And the numbers are absolutely mind-blowing.
After scoring his 27th career hat trick against the Los Angeles Kings, Ovechkin leads the league in goals (40) again. He’s now two goals away (698) from becoming the eighth player in NHL history to score 700 goals.
What else did the Russian machine accomplish?
Alex Ovechkin scores an empty net goal to complete his 27th career hat trick. Ovechkin passes Maurice Richard for the eighth most hat tricks in NHL history.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) February 5, 2020
Ovechkin's third goal of the game marks his 40th goal of the season, the 11th time he has reached the 40-goal mark in his career. Only Wayne Gretzky (12) has more 40-goal seasons in NHL history.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) February 5, 2020
What a night for @ovi8! 🎩🎩🎩
▪ Moved within two regular-season goals of 700
▪ Recorded his 11th career 40-goal season
▪ Took sole possession of first place in the 2019-20 Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy race
All via a natural hat trick in a span of 4:24. 🤯 #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/5qIojj4V5Q
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) February 5, 2020
Alex Ovechkin's natural hat trick came in a span of 4:24 minutes. The franchise record for the quickest three goals by one player is 3:26 minutes, accomplished by Stan Gilbertson on April 6, 1975 versus the Pittsburgh Penguins.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) February 5, 2020
Only one player in NHL history has more 40-goal seasons than Alex Ovechkin (11 in total): Wayne Gretzky (12).
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) February 5, 2020
The hat trick is also the 27th of his career, passing Maurice Richard for 8th all-time in NHL history (4th among primary wingers). It also gives him a career high 4 in one season (had 3 in each of 2007-08, 2008-09, 2017-18, 2018-19) https://t.co/Qc7ridJhRg
— StatsCentre (@StatsCentre) February 5, 2020
Since Jan. 13, Alex Ovechkin has scored 14 goals over seven games. No other player has more than seven.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) February 5, 2020
Through 54 games this season, Alex Ovechkin is on a 60-goal pace through an 82 game season.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) February 5, 2020
This is the first time in Ovechkin's career he's recorded four hat tricks in one season. Three of his hat tricks have come in his last six games. He has recorded three hat tricks in a season four other times in his career.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) February 5, 2020
Ovechkin is the 10th player in NHL history to score 40 goals at the age of 34 or older and the first since Daniel Alfredsson in 2007-08. Only one player has scored 50 goals at the age of 34 or older: Joe Bucyk, 51 goals in 1970-71.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) February 5, 2020
Ovechkin has averaged 0.61 goals-per-game at this point in his career, ranking fifth in NHL history (minimum 300 games played), including an NHL-best 0.58 rate since his 30th birthday on Sept. 17, 2015.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) February 5, 2020
Among players in the 700-goal club, only two scored at a rate of 0.50 G/GP or higher from age 30 onward (Phil Esposito: 0.57; Marcel Dionne: 0.51).
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) February 5, 2020
This marks the second fewest games Ovechkin has played to reach the 40 goal mark (53 games). His fewest games to reach the 40 goal mark in his career came in the 2007-08 (52 games). Ovechkin was 22 years old at the time.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) February 5, 2020
Ovechkin now is on track to reach the 700-goal mark in only 1,140 career games – which would be the second-fastest in League history. Wayne Gretzky (886 GP) and Brett Hull (1,157 GP) are the only players to hit the milestone in fewer than 1,200 games.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) February 5, 2020
Tonight, Alex Ovechkin became the 13th player in NHL history to score three goals in the final seven minutes of regulation. The last player to accomplish this feat: Peter Bondra with the Washington Capitals, March 26, 1996
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) February 5, 2020
Tonight, Ovechkin scored his 110th career game-winning goal, tied with Brett Hull and Teemu Selanne for the fourth most in NHL history.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) February 5, 2020
Alex Ovechkin's 2nd of 3 tonight also gave the @Capitals captain the 143rd multi-goal game of his regular season career, tying Phil Esposito for the 5th most all-time in that regard (just 3 off tying Gordie Howe for 4th too)
— StatsCentre (@StatsCentre) February 5, 2020
Alex Ovechkin’s career high Even Strength goals in 43 in 07-08. Post-Lockout high is 31 in 15-16.
Right now he has 28 even strength goals… with 28 more games to play. Only 12 of his goals on the PP right now @russianmachine
— Aaron Lichstrahl (@AJ_Lich) February 5, 2020
What Pierre said.
Ovechkin on pace for 61 goals, which would be his second-highest tally in his illustrious career. And he's 34. https://t.co/GJkHK72Kx3 pic.twitter.com/wFATpSGIET
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) February 5, 2020
