Alex Ovechkin scores his 802nd career goal, surpassing hockey legend Gordie Howe at 2nd all-time

Washington Capitals winger Alex Ovechkin passed Detroit Red Wings and Hartford Whalers legend Gordie Howe to move into second place on the NHL’s all-time scoring list.

The Russian-born forward scored twice in his team’s game against the Winnipeg Jets. The first came via a wrist shot through the legs of Jets goaltender David Rittich, with assists from Dylan Strome and Conor Sheary with 1:38 remaining in the first period.

The second came to an empty goal with an assist credited to Evgeny Kuznetsov with 1:00 remaining in the third half.

With this goal, Ovechkin now stands behind only the greatest hockey player, Wayne Gretzky, for the most goals scored in the league.

Washington Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin has scored 801 career goals.

This goal ties him with Gordie Howe (above) for second all-time and 92 goals behind Wayne Gretzky.

He was mobbed by his teammates on the glass to celebrate as his goal song, Big Joe Turner’s ‘Shake, Rattle and Roll’, blared from the arena speakers. Fans chanted: ‘Ovi! Ovi! Ovi’ and gave him a standing ovation during the next stop when Ovechkin was honored for his latest achievement.

Ovechkin ended a four-game goal drought and matched Howe more than a week since he became the third player to reach 800.

“Everybody now enjoy this trip,” Ovechkin said last week. “It’s great for all of us to be able to get to 800, the third player to do it, and to be on the same team, I think it’s great.” It’s quite special to them.

Ovechkin (center) has now racked up 20 goals and 18 assists for 38 points in 35 games

His next goal will give him sole possession of second place and move Ovechkin 92 away from tying Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894 that had long seemed unattainable.

“What he’s done year after year, the consistency and the ability to produce the way he’s consistently done, is pretty remarkable,” said Toronto star Auston Matthews, the reigning NHL MVP who scored 60 goals last season. last season. . ‘Every year he always plays every game as if it were his last. He’s just a horse out there. He loves to score goals, and I think that’s been pretty evident throughout his career. You can say it.

And Ovechkin has no intention of stopping anytime soon. He has signed for three more years after this season in hopes of surpassing 894 goals.

“He scores a hell of a lot more than anybody, and that’s probably why he’s where he is now,” Washington defenseman John Carlson said. ‘This story, people (he’s going through), you’re like, holy smoke, you get to play a guy for 13 years who’s beating these guys in the history books. It’s a very good thing.

Ovechkin scored over David Rittich, the 166th goalkeeper he has passed the puck to in his career.

It was Ovechkin’s 52nd goal, the most by any opponent, in 71 games against the Jets/Atlanta Thrashers franchise. He also scored his 600th goal at home against Winnipeg.

Jets associate coach Scott Arniel, who spent the previous four seasons as an assistant with the Capitals, said he learned quickly that Ovechkin “doesn’t stop.”

“He’s a very motivated guy when he comes out to play,” Arniel said. ‘(He’s not) just a smackdown guy, a one time guy standing on the side on the power play. I saw all the goals he scored standing in front of the net. Even the hat-trick he got in Chicago, all three were there. He has also done a lot of that.

Ovechkin scored in his opener against Rittich, who became the 166th NHL goaltender he has beaten by one goal during his 18-year career.