Not only did the Washington Capitals get a big win over a divisional opponent, but Alex Ovechkin scored a historic goal, too. So basically, it was a perfect Wednesday night in DC.
The legendary winger scored an empty-net goal with one minute and 10 seconds remaining in the third period to put the Capitals up 6-3 over the Philadelphia Flyers.
The tally was Ovechkin’s 855th of his career, bringing him to within 39 of Wayne Gretzky for a share of the NHL’s all-time goals record.
Ovechkin found paydirt after Dylan Strome chipped the puck perfectly down the left wing into the Flyers zone. The Capitals captain won a race to the puck and then deposited the biscuit into the yawning net on his backhand.
The tally was Ovechkin’s 58th career empty-net goal, the most all-time.
Per Capitals PR, the goal also marked Ovechkin’s 50th career goal against the Flyers — the third-most goals he has scored against a single franchise (55g in 73 GP vs. WPG; 50g in 81 GP vs. TBL; 50g in 90 GP vs. CAR).
The goal also marked Ovechkin’s second in six games of the 2024-25 season. At his current 0.33 goals-per-game pace, Ovechkin would score 27 times this season, bringing him to 880 by season’s end.
