Alex Ovechkin scored twice against the Nashville Predators on Tuesday and accomplished some incredible history in the process.
Ovi’s goals were his 30th and 31st of the 2021-22 season giving him the sixteenth 30-goal campaign of his career. Only one player in NHL history has hit that plateau more: Mike Gartner.
“I just try to do my job,” Ovechkin said afterward.
That’s 30 goals on the season for @ovi8! 🚨
He reached the mark for the 16th time in his NHL career and is now just one 30-goal season back of matching longtime @Capitals forward Mike Gartner for the most in League history. #NHLStats: https://t.co/WJpXCLjdJU pic.twitter.com/LpRNKsHzjq
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) February 16, 2022
Ovechkin’s tallies were the 760th and 761st goals of his career. The 36-year-old captain now trails third-place Jaromir Jagr by five goals, second-place Gordie Howe by 40, and Wayne Gretzky by 133.
Ovechkin’s first goal of the game came on a power-play marker from his office 4:33 into the third period. Ovechkin’s one-timer ricocheted off Juuse Saros’s blocker pad and in. The tally gave the Capitals a 3-1 lead.
The goal was Ovechkin’s 277th career PPG – the most in NHL history.
But he wasn’t done there. Ovi closed out the game with his seventh empty-net goal of the season – a new career high. Ovi shot the puck at Nashville’s open twine from the Capitals’ defensive zone.
Empty-net goals are classified by the NHL as even-strength goals, meaning the goal was Ovi’s 489th even-strength tally. That allowed the Capitals captain to pass Marcel Dionne for fourth all-time.
With his 479th career even strength goal, Alex Ovechkin has passed Marcel Dionne (478) for the fourth-most even strength goals in NHL history.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) February 16, 2022
The two tallies also gave Ovechkin the 156th multi-goal game of his career, two behind Brett Hull for the second-most all-time.
That additionally marks Ovechkin's 156th career multi-goal game, two shy of tying Brett Hull for the second most in NHL history.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) February 16, 2022
Dang, Ovi.
