Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
The Washington Capitals took care of business against the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday night in a 2018 Stanley Cup final rematch, defeating the Knights 5-2. Alexander Ovechkin was a huge help for the Caps, as he put home three goals in this contest.
Ovechkin started the game’s scoring off early with a power-play goal just under six minutes into the first period and then netted his second on a breakaway chance late in the third. He then solidified his hatty with an empty-netter with under a minute remaining, holding off Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore while guiding the puck into the empty cage with his left hand.
This was career hat trick No. 31 for Washington’s captain. He is sixth all-time in career hat tricks and he’s now one hat trick away from reaching Phil Esposito, who occupies the fifth spot on the all-time list.
In terms of more significant records, this gets the Russian sniper much closer to catching Wayne Gretzky’s goal record. With those three goals, he is now only 28 away from Gretzky’s 894 career total.
With this, The “Great Eight” is now the joint top goal scorer in the NHL this season, joining the Florida Panthers’ Sam Reinhart and the Edmonton Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl with 13 goals. Goal scoring has clearly never eluded the 39-year-old throughout his career. Ovechkin has nine Rocket Richard Trophies and is currently in the hunt for No. 10.
After 16 games played, he is now on pace for 63 goals on the season. If Ovechkin were somehow to accomplish that, not only would he get the record, but that would also make it his second-best goal-scoring season. As a reminder, this is his 20th season in the NHL, so his high goal output at nearly 40 years old is truly incredible.
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