Alex Ovechkin just hit 30 goals for the 20th time in his career, extending his NHL record.
Ovechkin found paydirt late in the first period after a centering pass by Matt Roy bounced off Cam York‘s skates and lay right outside of the crease. The Capitals captain, driving the net, got to the loose puck first and fired a shot past Dan Vladar for his 927th career goal.
The goal gave the Capitals a 2-0 lead with 1:35 remaining in the first period. Connor McMichael received the secondary assist.
Ovechkin has now scored 30 goals in 20 of his 21 NHL seasons. Only two other players, Mike Gartner and Jaromir Jagr, have been able to do it 15 times or more.
Most 30-goal seasons in NHL history
Alex Ovechkin – 20
Mike Gartner – 17
Jaromir Jagr – 15
Wayne Gretzky – 14
Gordie Howe – 14
Marcel Dionne – 14
After scoring a hat trick against the Vegas Golden Knights — the 34th of his career — on Saturday, the 40-year-old Ovechkin now has six goals in his last seven games. The tally on Vladar was his fourth career goal on the Flyers netminder.
Ovechkin is the fourth player in NHL history to score 30 goals at age 40 or older, per Capitals PR, joining Gordie Howe (2x: 44g in 1968-69; 31g in 1969-70), Johnny Bucyk (36g in 1975-76), and Teemu Selanne (31g in 2010-11).
