On a night in which he was honored pre-game for passing Gordie Howe for second-most goals in NHL history, Alex Ovechkin passed Wayne Gretzky for another NHL record. The Capitals star scored in the first period against the Blue Jackets, marking his 13th season with at least 40 goals. Here was the tally:
The goal was initially given to Dylan Strome, with an assist from Ovechkin, but after review, it was determined that Blue Jackets defender Nick Blankenburg deflected the puck into the goal, not Strome. It was Ovechkin’s 820th career goal, which puts him 75 behind passing Gretzky for the all-time goals record.
Here’s the updated list of players with the most 40-goal seasons in NHL history.
- Alex Ovechkin — 13
- Wayne Gretzky — 12
- Mario Lemieux, Marcel Dionne — 10
Perhaps just as impressive is the gap Ovechkin has created between himself and his peers. Since Ovechkin debuted in 2005-06, no other player has had more than six 40-goal seasons (Steven Stamkos).
Looking ahead, Ovechkin is tied with Gretzky and Mike Bossy for most career 50-goal seasons with nine. The Capitals have only 10 games remaining after Tuesday’s contest, but Ovechkin is heating up at the right time. Through the first-period goal Tuesday, he has four goals in his last four games.
