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Alex Ovechkin scores 28th career hat trick after Panthers coach calls him second best

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Alex Ovechkin had another legendary game and the context is key.

Pregame, Panthers head coach Andrew Brunette complimented Ovechkin by calling him the second best goal scorer in NHL history. Then early in the first period, the Panthers appeared to make Ovechkin bleed his own blood after a shot from the point clipped Ovechkin in the face. Not a good idea!

By the end of the night, Ovechkin had his 28th career hat trick. The game was reminiscent of the Canadiens game in 2008 where Ovi was hit in the face and responded with four goals (including the overtime game-winner).

The early evening Black Friday game started ominously. Ovechkin blocked a Panthers player’s shot from the point at the 15:18 mark. The puck ramped up off the blade of Ovi’s stick and struck him underneath the visor. Ovechkin laid on the ice for a bit before getting up and skating off the ice in a hurry.

He returned less than three minutes later no worse for wear.

At the 12:20 mark, Ovechkin took a faceoff and won. It was all uphill from here.

In the second period, Ovechkin scored twice on two consecutive shifts 56 seconds apart – once on Sergei Bobrovsky (he left due to a concussion spotter) and the other on Spencer Knight.

Ovi first hit paydirt after knocking home a rebound on the power play.

Ovechkin then beat Knight with a heavy shot through the body, giving the Capitals a 3-1 lead.

Finally, in the third period, the Panthers left Ovi wide open in front of the crease and Ovi made them pay. Hatty!

Fans threw hats. So. Many. Hats.

Ovi gave his son Ovi Jr., sitting in the front row, a fist bump after scoring.

Ovechkin’s hat trick was the 28th of his career, tying him for the sixth-most in NHL history with Marcel Dionne and Bobby Hull.

The game was the 153rd multi-goal game of his career, leaving him two behind Mario Lemieux for the third-most in NHL history.

He now has the distinction of being the oldest Capitals player to ever score a hat trick.

The game was two hours earlier than usual but felt right on time after that puck hit Ovi in the face.

“It was kind of wake-up call,” Ovechkin said after the game smiling.

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