Alex Ovechkin has scored 291 power-play goals — the most in NHL history. With all that success, he’s given liberties from the coaching staff so that his booming shot can remain on the ice during power plays for as long as possible.
While playing at even strength, Ovechkin usually keeps his shifts short unless the Capitals are trying to come back in a game. But on the power play the Capitals captain is a master at managing his energy so that he can be on the ice for almost the entire two minutes.
Ovechkin took that energy consumption to the next level Friday against the Seattle Kraken. With the game tied 1-1, Ovechkin stayed on the ice for 4:57 of Jamie Oleksiak’s five-minute major penalty due to an illegal check to the head of Alex Alexeyev. Four minutes and fifty-seven seconds!
Oleksiak was later suspended by the NHL for three games.
The NHL’s time-on-ice chart has the details.
Ovechkin’s eleventh shift began with 10:12 remaining in the second period and ended at 5:15. During that time, Marcus Johansson scored to give the Capitals a 2-1 lead. Ovechkin, who remained out with both the first and second PP units, tallied an assist on the play. That goal was the game-winner in the Capitals’ 4-1 win.
flick of the wrist pic.twitter.com/W97xam1GXl
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 10, 2022
After going through the numbers, Ovechkin’s 4:57 long power-play shift is the longest he’s been on the ice for a single shift during the 2022-23 season.
| Shift Length | Date | Opponent | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4:57 | 2022-12-09 | SEA | 2 |
| 3:19 | 2022-12-09 | SEA | 3 |
| 3:16 | 2022-11-19 | COL | 2 |
| 2:41 | 2022-11-26 | NJD | 1 |
| 2:36 | 2022-11-26 | NJD | 3 |
| 2:35 | 2022-11-15 | FLA | 3 |
| 2:31 | 2022-12-07 | PHI | 1 |
| 2:28 | 2022-11-25 | CGY | 3 |
| 2:23 | 2022-11-26 | NJD | 1 |
| 2:22 | 2022-12-01 | SEA | 3 |
Ovechkin’s next closest shift, a 3:19 romp in that same Seattle game, trails by one minute and 28 seconds. Ovechkin’s had only one other three-minute-plus shift this season — a 3:16-er against the Colorado Avalanche on November 19.
On the same day at the Seattle game, New Jersey’s Jack Hughes set the NHL record for the longest shift in recorded NHL history. Hughes skated the final 6:02 of the game as the Devils fought for a comeback.
Great win for the @NYIslanders, holding off the @NJDevils, who pulled their goalie with 7:30 left and down three goals.
Jack Hughes skated a 6:02 shift(!!!) in the third period to try and rally NJD. pic.twitter.com/XygFsp9GKW
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) December 10, 2022
Ovechkin’s 4:57 is the second-longest shift in the NHL this season. Please note: the longest three shifts of the season all came on December 9. There must have been something in the water or, uh, ice (?) that day.
| Player | Shift | Date | Team | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Hughes | 6:02 | 2022-12-09 | NJD | NYI |
| Alex Ovechkin | 4:57 | 2022-12-09 | WSH | SEA |
| Boone Jenner | 4:13 | 2022-12-09 | CBJ | CGY |
| Rasmus Dahlin | 4:12 | 2022-11-25 | BUF | NJD |
| Alec Regula | 4:11 | 2022-11-10 | CHI | L.A |
| Adam Larsson | 4:07 | 2022-12-06 | SEA | MTL |
| Rasmus Ristolainen | 4:02 | 2022-12-01 | PHI | TBL |
| Jamie Benn | 3:59 | 2022-11-25 | DAL | WPG |
| Jason Robertson | 3:59 | 2022-11-25 | DAL | WPG |
| Joe Pvaelski | 3:59 | 2022-11-25 | DAL | WPG |
| Caleb Jones | 3:58 | 2022-11-10 | CHI | L.A |
| Vincent Trocheck | 3:57 | 2022-11-23 | NYR | ANA |
| John Carlson | 3:52 | 2022-11-19 | WSH | COL |
| David Krecji | 3:50 | 2022-11-10 | BOS | CGY |
| David Pastrnak | 3:50 | 2022-11-10 | BOS | CGY |
| Alex DeBrincat | 3:50 | 2022-11-14 | OTT | NYI |
| Jordan Oesterle | 3:50 | 2022-11-28 | DET | TOR |
| Jake Walman | 3:50 | 2022-11-28 | DET | TOR |
| Janis Moser | 3:45 | 2022-11-10 | ARI | NYI |
| Drew Doughty | 3:42 | 2022-11-14 | LAK | CGY |
While the feat is impressive, Ovechkin’s shift against the Kraken is not the longest shift of Ovechkin’s career. There is one that is longer.
During a December 16, 2019, game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Ovi skated the final 5:14 of the game to try and rally the Caps from a 3-0 deficit.
That reminds me: this Ovi guy sure is a machine!
