Alex Ovechkin had a huge game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday (even though game time was usually when he eats his chicken parm).
Ovechkin scored twice, pulling within one goal of tying Marcel Dionne (731) for fifth place on the NHL’s all-time goals list.
Goal 1
Ovi’s first goal came on a first-period power play. It was textbook. Literally exactly how you’d imagine.
Kuzy, from the half wall, tossed it to Carlson at the point who put it right into Ovi’s wheelhouse. Ovi fired and scored, beating Flyers goaltender Alex Lyons easily.
7️⃣2️⃣9️⃣ pic.twitter.com/3lNjY0IcpU
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 17, 2021
Flyers defenseman Philippe Myers wasn’t aggressive enough on the play and did the “dreaded flamingo”, per Alan May, to let the shot go through.
The goal was Ovechkin’s 23rd of the season and the 729th of his career.
Alex Ovechkin opens the scoring with 23rd goal of the season on the power play. Ovechkin is three goals shy of passing Marcel Dionne (731) for the fifth-most goals in NHL history.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) April 17, 2021
It gave Ovi goals in all six meetings against the Flyers this season.
Ovechkin has scored a goal in all six of his games against Philadelphia this season. Ovechkin’s six-game goal streak against the Flyers is tied for the longest goal streak he has recorded against a single opponent in his career (Tampa Bay: 6 games, 11/10/08 – 3/27/09).
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) April 17, 2021
Lyon is also the 147th goaltender Ovi’s scored against in his NHL career.
Ovechkin’s goal was his first career goal scored on goaltender Alex Lyon, the 147th different goaltender Ovechkin has scored on in his career. There have been 6,502 skaters in NHL history who have scored 147 or fewer goals in their career.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) April 17, 2021
Goal 2
Ovi, of course, wasn’t done. The Great 8 scored off a faceoff on a second-period power play to give him his 730th goal.
Just lovely 😍@budlight | #BudLightCelly pic.twitter.com/wXLJFCm2j4
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 17, 2021
The goal was also Ovi’s 269th career power-play goal, pulling him within five goals of Dave Andreychuk (274).
With his second power play goal of the game, Ovechkin is now six power play goals shy of passing Dave Andreychuk (274) for the most in NHL history.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) April 17, 2021
It was also Ovi’s 149th career multi-goal game of his career, putting him among three GOATs.
It marks Ovechkin’s 149th career multi-goal game, which ranks fourth in NHL history (Wayne Gretzky: 189; Brett Hull: 158; Mario Lemieux: 154).
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) April 17, 2021
Ovi is now on a 48-goal pace if he had played a full 82 games this season.
Ovechkin tried his best to score again and net his 28th career hat trick in the third but was unable to connect.
Alex Ovechkin was out there for the entire two-minute power play to try and get a hat trick late in the third period.
As the PP ended, Ovi skated angrily to the bench and let out a loud f-bomb.
He’s still just as competitive, folks!
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) April 17, 2021
He even appeared to have a deflection clanging off the post in the final minute.
He’s still going for the hat trick. An Ovi deflection try clangs off the post in the final minute.
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) April 17, 2021
As for the two office strikes, they were the fifth and sixth times Ovi’s scored from the office this year at 5v4. Here’s what Ovi’s PP numbers looked like coming into today via Evolving Hockey.
This season, Ovi’s PP production has bounced back somewhat under Peter Laviolette, but not much.
Ovi has dominated the Flyers this season scoring 12 points (8g, 4a) in six games this season.
RMNB Coverage of Caps at Flyers
Screenshot courtesy of NBC Sports Washington
