Alexander Ovechkin hits 50 goal mark for eighth time in career
By Shoaib Alli
Alexander Ovechkin makes some NHL history by scoring 50 goals once again – the eighth time in his storied career.
Alexander Ovechkin scored a pair of goals, his 50th and 51st of the season, to lead the Washington Capitals to a 6-3 victory over the league-leading Tampa Bay Lightning in Saturday night hockey action.
With the two goals, Ovechkin has hit the 50-goal plateau for the eighth time in his career. Remarkably, the only two other players to do that in league history are Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy, who each have accomplished the feat nine times. His first goal of the game was also his 657th career tally, moving him past Brendan Shanahan into 13th all time.
After the game, the 33-year old Ovechkin waved it off, pointing to his teammates who looked for him at every opportunity.
“It’ll eventually come, especially with the guys [knowing] I have 49 goals,” said Ovechkin in the Capitals’ dressing room after the win. “They try to find me all the time, so thanks to them.”
His teammates, TJ Oshie and Nicklas Backstrom, both had a pair of goals each in the 6-3 victory, and Oshie had nothing but praise for the Capitals captain.
“[Ovechkin] seems to have a knack for getting up for big moments to score goals,” said Oshie to reporters following the 6-3 win. “He loves scoring a goal no matter what, but in the really big moments, […] he gets up for those ones, and you can tell by the celebrations and by how much ‘oomph’ those pucks have on them.”
“It’s always fun scoring goals, and the big man, he scores a lot of those.”
Capitals head coach Todd Reirden just had a wry smile and a shake of his head when asked about his captain after the game.
“50 goals eight times is remarkable,” said Reirden. “The NHL is fortunate to have a guy like this. We’re spoiled in Washington for sure, but the whole NHL is spoiled to have a guy like this, and I’m happy for him. He put the work in, and he deserves it.”
With those 51 goals this season, Ovechkin leads the NHL, ahead of the Edmonton Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl in second place with 47 goals, and the Toronto Maple Leafs’ John Tavares in third with 45.