Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals completed a hat-trick and scored his 800th career goal in a game against the Chicago Blackhawks on December 13, 2022. Ovechkin is only the third player in NHL history to reach this milestone, joining Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe as the only players to score 800 goals in their careers.
Ovechkin, known for his powerful shot and physical play, reached the 800-goal mark in fewer games than Howe. He accomplished the feat in just 1,305 games, compared to Gretzky’s 1,115 games and Howe’s 1,748 games.
The Russian forward has been a dominant force in the NHL since entering the league in 2005, winning the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie and the Hart Trophy as MVP on multiple occasions. He has also led the league in goals scored on eight occasions, and is considered one of, if not THE greatest goal-scorer of all time.
In the game against the Blackhawks, Ovechkin opened the scoring by scoring the Capitals first and second goals of the game, both within 10 minutes of the first period. He completed the hat-trick when he slammed home a rebound about halfway through the third period, which gave the Capitals a 5-2 lead.
The 800th goal was a special moment for Ovechkin and the entire Capitals organization. Ovechkin has spent his entire career with the Capitals, and they hope to guide him into breaking the NHL record for goals.
Ovechkin now is 94 goals away from tying Wayne Gretzky for most goals in NHL history, but Ovechkin is now only 1 goal away from tying Gordie Howe for second place in the all time goal scoring standings.
