Washington Capitals famous person Alexander Ovechkin has formally put the league on discover following a hat trick in a 5-2 win in opposition to the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday night at T-Cell Enviornment. When the solar rose this morning, Washington’s 39-year-old winger was tied on the high of the NHL scoring leaderboard with 13 objectives alongside the Florida Panthers’ Sam Reinhart and the Edmonton Oilers’ Leon Driasaitl. Ovechkin is the first 39-year-old to guide (or co-lead) the NHL in scoring with a minimal of 10 objectives. It has been nearly three years (since January 2022) since he held a share of the NHL scoring lead.
Washington and Ovechkin is not going to get a lot relaxation with a fast journey from Las Vega to Salt Lake Metropolis for the second recreation in a back-to-back tonight. The Capitals meet the NHL’s latest franchise, the Utah Hockey Membership, for the primary time at Delta Heart. Utah began the season sturdy however has struggled with a 3-5-2 document over their final 10 video games, together with a disastrous loss of their final outing. Washington has been a power all season, together with a 7-2-1 document over the identical time-frame.
Ovechkin Scored His Thirty first-Profession Hat Trick
The captain watched largely Capitals-themed hats fly towards the ice from the group for the Thirty first time in his legendary profession on Sunday night time — the sixth-most hat tips in NHL historical past. Ovechkin scored in every interval, together with the empty-netter that launched a beaming smile from the grizzled veteran after his 866th NHL objective. Ovechkin and his teammates continued beaming into the post-game breakdown from Head Coach Spencer Carbery. “How concerning the (expletive) hat trick from the large man,” Carbery shouted to the raucous dressing room. “Nonetheless received it,” Carbury teased Ovechkin whereas the 2 leaders of the Capitals franchise shared a fast embrace.
The hat trick strikes Ovechkin nearer to fifth place within the NHL historical past books for many profession three-or-more objective video games. Wayne Gretzky leads the class with 50 video games of three or extra objectives, adopted by Mario Lemieux (40), Mike Bossy (39), Brett Hull (33), and Phil Esposito (32).
Associated: NHL Hat Methods Historical past & Enjoyable Info
In keeping with NHL Public Relations, the highway hat trick is the sixteenth of Ovechkin’s profession, ranked fourth all-time. Lemieux and Gretzky are tied with 19 three-goal video games on the highway. Marcel Dionne scored 17 hat tips in his Corridor of Fame profession.
It has been practically two years since Ovechkin’s final hat trick, which occurred on Dec. 31, 2022, in opposition to the Montreal Canadiens. The Capitals scored 32 seconds into the sport, resulting in a 9-2 rout of Montreal at Capital One Enviornment. Ovechkin scored within the second interval earlier than including two extra within the last body. The objectives have been his twenty fourth, twenty fifth, and twenty sixth of the season; he completed with 42 objectives that season.
Extra Historical past within the Gretzky vs. Ovechkin Saga
Ovechkin continues to be listed alongside Gretzky in NHL historical past. In keeping with Capitals PR, his multi-goal recreation final night time was the 176th contest with no less than two objectives. Gretzky is the one identify forward of him with 189 two-or-more objective video games, leaving the Capitals ahead with 13 multi-goal video games to go to steal one other document from Gretzky. Ovechkin already holds the document for many highway two-goal video games with 99.
With all eyes on the Ovechkin’s scoring-record chase (he has 866 objectives to Gretzky’s 894) Gretzky advised the scoring title may change fingers before most individuals thought attainable. “It’s a matter of time,” Gretzky advised Tom Gulitti of NHL.com. “Whether or not it’s late this yr, early subsequent yr, at any time when.” From his facet of issues, Ovechkin thinks “it’s fairly cool stuff” that Gretzky is rooting for him, Washington’s captain hasn’t overpassed the primary objective. “…an important factor is win one other Cup,” Ovechkin mentioned. “It’s not concerning the document.”
If Ovechkin retains scoring hat tips, Washington will probably proceed so as to add wins to their 12-4-1 document this season. The Capitals tackle Utah tonight in Salt Lake Metropolis at 9 p.m. EST.
