After scoring his 797th career goal, Alex Ovechkin put his name in the record books once again.
NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti reported on Twitter that Ovechkin’s streak of four empty-net goals in three games is history-making.
Only three other players have scored four straight empty netters:
Jake Guentzel (4 in 2022-23), Vladislav Namestnikov (4 in 2021-21) and Gustav Nyquist (4 in 2019-20).
It’s worth noting that all four players hit the record during the last four seasons as head coaches have used more aggressive tactics when calling goaltenders to the bench for an extra man. That means this may be the most tenuous Ovechkin record of all heading into the future.
This season, Alex Ovechkin already broke Wayne Gretzky’s road goals record. Next to fall will be The Great One’s empty-netter record. Ovechkin has scored 53 career times on an empty net. Gretzky did so 56 times.
Ovechkin has 5 empty-net goals this season in 30 games meaning he’s on track to pass Gretzky later this season.
