Home / News / No. 778: Alex Ovechkin scores 48th goal of the season, ties Teemu Selanne for most goals by a player age 36 or older

No. 778: Alex Ovechkin scores 48th goal of the season, ties Teemu Selanne for most goals by a player age 36 or older

By Ian Oland

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April 18, 2022 11:02 pm

Alex Ovechkin just tied and will likely break a record that may stand for a long time.

Ovechkin scored his 48th goal of the season in the second period against the league-leading Colorado Avalanche.

The goal gave the Capitals an unlikely 2-1 lead.

The play started after John Carlson shot the puck wide. Evgeny Kuznetsov grabbed the ricocheting puck off the end boards and quickly fed Ovechkin across the crease for a slam dunk.

A large contingent of Capitals fans roared at Ball Arena.

The goal seemed chaotic and random, but according to Kuzy, it was not.

“That’s a set play,” Kuznetsov said at intermission to NBC Sports Washington’s Joe Beninati. “We talk about that – Johnny can use ‘yellow’ and we know that goalie plays like that. That’s absolutely wrong by you. That’s a set play.”

Ovechkin is now two goals away from his ninth 50-goal season.

The goal also tied Ovechkin with Teemu Selanne for the most goals by a player age 36 or older. Selanne has owned the record since the 2006-07 season when he scored 48 goals and 94 points at age 36.

With 778 goals, Ovechkin now trails second-place Gordie Howe (801) by 23 and Wayne Gretzky (894) by 116.

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