Don’t look now but Alex Ovechkin is heating up.
After a career-worst 14-game goalless streak, Ovechkin now has goals in consecutive games and three in his last six.
His latest tally, a wrist shot from the point, beat Pittsburgh Penguins’ goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic on a late first-period power play. The goal was Ovechkin’s eighth of the season and briefly put the Capitals up 4-0.
That's a good … no, wait … a #GR8 GOAL pic.twitter.com/TTv8w13SbB
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 3, 2024
Ovechkin’s power-play goal came not from his office, but the right point while skating with the team’s second PP unit. The shot was a floater that found the far corner of the net. Rasmus Sandin and Anthony Mantha registered the assists.
8️⃣3️⃣0️⃣ pic.twitter.com/0ERwkdg4aR
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 3, 2024
The goal was Ovechkin’s 830th goal of his career, putting him 64 behind Wayne Gretzky (894) on the all-time goals list.
Nedeljkovic is now the 172nd goaltender Ovechkin has ever scored on — see the full list here. Nedeljkovic came in relief of Tristan Jarry after he surrendered three goals on seven shots in the first period. Despite playing in his 115th game in the NHL tonight, Nedeljkovic’s appearance on Tuesday night was his first against the Capitals. He previously played four years in Carolina and two in Detroit.
The power-play marker was Ovechkin’s 302nd — most all-time. Ovechkin (1,507 points) also passed Ray Bourque for the seventh-most points with one franchise in NHL history.
Alex Ovechkin scores his 830th career goal and his 302nd career power-play goal. With the goal, Ovechkin (830g-677a–1,507p in 1,382 GP) passes Ray Bourque (395g-1,111a–1,506p in 1,518 GP w/ BOS) for the seventh-most points by a player with one franchise in NHL history.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) January 3, 2024
With the goal, Ovechkin has now scored 40 career goals against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Pens are now the 10 different franchise he’s scored 40-or-more goals against, joining Phil Esposito as the only player to do so in NHL history.
Per ESPN, Alex Ovechkin has now scored 40 goals or more against 10 different franchises during his career, joining Phil Esposito as the only other player to do so in NHL history.
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) January 3, 2024
