It took Alex Ovechkin five games, but he’s finally on the board in his age-40 season.
The NHL’s greatest goal-scorer extended his NHL goals record to 898 after beating Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson with a one-timer off a faceoff win by Dylan Strome.
The lobbed puck rang hard off the far post and in, giving the Capitals a 3-1 lead with 18:41 remaining in regulation.
DING!
“YAHHHHHHHHHH!” a mic’d-up Ovechkin screams upon scoring.
“Are you kidding me?” Declan Chisholm replies.
The goal was Ovechkin’s third ever tally on Gustavsson, the 72nd different goalie he’s beat in his career.
After starting the season slow due to a lower-body injury suffered in training camp, Ovechkin appears to be finding his game along with the rest of the first line. Against the Wild, Ovechkin registered his first multi-point game of the season with his goal and a first-period primary assist on a Dylan Strome goal.
Meanwhile, Strome had 4 points (2g, 2a) on the evening and line-mate Anthony Beauvillier added a primary assist.
Ovechkin now has 1,627 points in his career: 898 goals and 729 assists. He has four points (1g, 3a) in the Capitals’ first five games of the season.
The Capitals would go on to beat the Wild 5-1 in their most dominant game of the season. The night marked the debut of their red, white, and blue Screaming Eagle third jerseys.
