Every time you think you fully appreciate Alexander Mikhailovich Ovechkin, he goes and does something that makes you admire him even more.
Thursday against the Florida Panthers, Ovechkin scored his tenth goal of the season. It’s significant and not just because he’s one goal away from tying Brett Hull (741) for fourth all-time on the NHL’s goals list.
Ovechkin took a drop pass and beat Spencer Knight with a superb wrist shot, firing the puck past the goaltender’s glove hand.
.@ovi8 scores on his 150th different goalie pic.twitter.com/YrtpkzOhEQ
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 5, 2021
The goal was Ovechkin’s 10th goal in 10 games to start the season, tying him for the best start in his NHL career. A reminder: Ovi is 36-years-old and this is his 17th career season. He should be getting worse?
Alex Ovechkin goals in first 10 games of season
2005-06: 6 goals
2006-07: 6
2007-08: 6
2008-09: 2
2009-10: 9
2010-11: 5
2011-12: 5
2012-13: 2
2013-14: 10
2014-15: 5
2015-16: 6
2016-17: 6
2017-18: 10
2018-19: 8
2019-20: 6
2020-21: 5
2021-22: 10* (now)
This is the third time Ovechkin has started a season with 10 goals in his first 10 games. The last time he did so, the Capitals won the Stanley Cup in 2018.
Meanwhile, Panthers goaltender Spencer Knight became the 150th goalie Ovechkin has scored on during his long career in the NHL.
Other fun stats:
With a goal and an assist in the second period, Alex Ovechkin has recorded his 379th career multi-point game, passing Denis Savard for the 24th-most multi-point games in NHL history.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) November 5, 2021
Alex Ovechkin earned the secondary assist on Wilson's goal, marking his seventh assist of the season and his 597th career assist. Ovechkin is three assists shy of becoming the ninth active player to reach the 600-assist mark.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) November 5, 2021
Alex Ovechkin recorded his second assist and third point of the night on McMichael's goal. Ovechkin is now two assists shy of 600 career assists.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) November 5, 2021
Photo: @Capitals
