The Washington Capitals superstar forward Alexander Ovechkin continues to write his name in the NHL history books. By scoring two goals in a 2-5 win over the Calgary Flames, Ovechkin became just the third player ever to have 19 consecutive seasons with at least 20 goals.

Ovechkin now has 21 goals in the 2023-24 NHL campaign and has added 31 assists for a total of 52 points in 64 games.

Besides Ovechkin, only Gordie Howe and Brendan Shanahan managed to have 19 straight 20-goal seasons. Howe actually had 22 seasons with at least 20 goals, from 1949-50 to 1970-71. However, Ovechkin is the only player in NHL history to start the streak in his first season in the league.

The two goals also got Ovechkin closer to Wayne Gretzky’s all-time scoring record. His goal tally in the NHL now stands at 843 goals, and he needs to score 52 more to jump over Gretzky.

“There’s not many things that hasn’t been said about him, but he keeps doing it, even at age 38. It’s fun to be a part of, fun to watch,” said Capitals’ Dylan Strome about Ovechkin.

Ovechkin himself focused on the importance of the win, their third straight, which moved the Capitals into a wild-card spot.

“We know it’s not going to be easy. We keep fighting, keep playing,” said Ovechkin. “We still can do it. We’re still in the battle. Every point counts.”

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The Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin is set to spend an extended period away from the team as he spends time with his family attending to the health of a loved one. He will be away for the rest of the week and could be unavailable for even longer.

General manager Brian MacLellan informed the team of Ovechkin’s absence prior to a morning skate on Tuesday. While no further details have been revealed, the team is preparing for the scenario in which they have to continue without Ovechkin over the long term.

“When it comes to your family and parents, that’s what matters,” Capitals coach Peter Laviolette stated. “He’s going to deal with some things right now and we’re going to be supportive.”

Ovechkin’s absence will be further complicated because his family is located in Russia. With no direct flights between the United States and Moscow at present, as well as travel restrictions due to the ongoing war with Ukraine, Ovechkin’s journey to his family may be challenging. This also puts his return to the United States in jeopardy.

The post Capitals May Be Without Alex Ovechkin for Extended Period appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin has broken the NHL all-time record for shots on goal. Previously held by Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque, Ovechkin set a new record with his 6,210th shot on goal during the third period of the Capitals’ 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night.

As a result of his new tally, Ovechkin joined Bourque as the only two NHL players in history to exceed 6,000 career shots on goal. Following the victory over the Capitals, Ovechkin had taken his tally to 6,211 shots.

Now 37 years of age, Ovechkin has led the NHL in shots on goal on 11 occasions. This includes 10 times during his first 11 seasons in his career.

Despite his notable achievement on the night, Ovechkin has continued to struggle to find his form in recent games. The victory over the Senators marks the fourth game in a row in which the left wing has been unable to score a goal, thus leaving his goal tally at 800 throughout his career.

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The Washington Capitals’ star Alex Ovechkin has added another milestone in his pursuit of greatness. With a hat-trick in a 7-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday, Ovechkin pushed his career goals total in NHL to 800.

Ovechkin is now only the third player in NHL history to reach this mark. He joins all-time greats Wayne Gretzky (894) and Gordie Howe (801).

“It’s a special night. To get two goals right away, I could feel the game,” Ovechkin told ESPN after the game. “I’m really proud that it’s over. Now, we can move on and focus on the next one.”

The next one for Ovechkin will be to chase Gretzky’s record for most goals in NHL history. While the record previously seemed unattainable, Ovechkin has a real chance to do something about it. He has 20 goals this season with 51 games left to be played. The 37-year-old player scored at least 48 goals in each of the last four full seasons.

Ovechkin already has a number of goal-scoring records in his possession, including being the player with the most NHL goal-scoring titles (9) and having the most career overtime goals (24), most career power-play goals (285) and most career game-opening goals (136).

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The Washington Capitals will be without left winger Alex Ovechkin after the 36-year-old star suffered a lower-body injury during his team’s match against the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday night. According to the Capitals, Ovechkin’s injury will be further examined soon.

Ovechkin bumped into Flyers forward Travis Konecny in the first period, after which he collapsed on the ice. After being slow to arise, Ovechkin was unable to place his weight on his left leg and had no choice but to sit out of the remainder of his team’s 3-5 victory.

Capitals coach Peter Laviolette had the following to say on the incident: “Any time a player leaves the ice you’re concerned. They’re going to re-evaluate him tomorrow and assess him for practice the next day. I think that’s where it’s at right now.”

In addition to Ovechkin, the Capitals are expected to be without top center Nicklas Backstrom at the start of the season due to the player suffering from a hip injury.

Ovechkin is at the start of a brand new, $47.5 million, five-year contract. He also happens to be the fifth-highest point scorer on the NHL career goals list.

The post Alex Ovechkin Injured In Capitals’ Preseason Finale appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Pittsburgh Penguins star center Sidney Crosby is ready to disregard a personal rivalry if that means witnessing history. During a chat with ESPN earlier this week, Crosby backed the Washington Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin to break the NHL’s scoring record.

Crosby and Ovechkin enjoyed a prolific rivalry since they entered the league in 2005, going head to head for awards and scoring titles multiple times. But the past isn’t stopping Crosby from wishing that his contemporary will surpass Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky and his mark of 894 goals in the league.

“I hope he does. I told him today that I hope he does,” said Crosby, who has 486 NHL goals of his own. “It would be awesome. He’s in range.”

Ovechkin has played 17 seasons in the league and scored 730 NHL goals. Getting 164 more seems doable, especially since the 36-year-old legend recently signed a five-year extension with Washington that should see him play through the 2025-26 NHL season.

 But despite being in reaching range of such a big all-time record, Ovechkin is trying not to think about it.

“I don’t even think about it right now, to be honest,” Ovechkin said via ESPN. “Because it’s too far. It’s a long way. And it’s a hard way. Whatever happens, happens.”

The post Sidney Crosby “Hopes” Alex Ovechkin Will Break NHL Scoring Record appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Alex Ovechkin is out of contract with Washington Capitals this offseason, but it appears the star winger isn’t thinking about testing the free market.

Speaking with the media, Ovechkin said that he’s “confident” in getting a new deal from the Capitals and once again reiterated his intention to retire with the franchise.

“I’m confident; we still have time,” said Ovechkin. “Obviously, I want to finish my career here. I’m pretty sure we will do something soon.”

Ovechkin signed his last deal in 2008 when he inked an NHL-record 13-year, $124 million contract with the Capitals. While many believed Washington overpaid the Russian at the time, the deal actually turned out to be a bargain.

During those 13 years, Ovechkin helped the Capitals win their first Stanley Cup while establishing himself as one of the best hockey players in history. He also won three Hart Memorial Trophies, an Art Ross Trophy, and led the league in scoring nine times.

This time around, the Capitals are reportedly hesitant to make a long-term commitment. They would be most comfortable with a one-year deal but are willing to consider a four-year option due to Ovechkin’s contribution to the franchise.

Regardless of the length, the new deal will almost surely make Alex Ovechkin one of the NHL’s highest-paid players in terms of annual salary. According to reports, the 35-year-old legend was asking for $12.5 million annually in early 2020, a number which would tie him with the Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid as the league’s top earner. It is unclear whether or not he adjusted his demands after the NHL introduced a flat salary cap due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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NHL season is currently suspended due to coronavirus and there is no indication of when and how it could be resumed. Washington Capitals’ captain Alex Ovechkin recently decided to offer his view on the matter, saying it would be best to skip the rest of the regular season.

Ovechkin recently had a chat with reporters via video call and said that he would prefer to skip straight to the playoff despite the fact that he was on pace to score 50 goals for the ninth time in his NHL career.

“I’d rather start the playoffs right away,” said Ovechkin. “Sorry, guys.”

However, Ovechkin acknowledges that this solution would not suit everyone.

“We don’t want to play extra games, but I know for different guys who fight for a playoff spot — and we’re still fighting for a playoff spot — some guys want extra games. For me, of course, the more games we will play, it will be better for fans and better for teams who are fighting for playoffs,” he added.

Ovechkin isn’t the only NHL star who would be down with NHL season resuming with playoffs. Pittsburgh Pirates’ Sidney Crosby recently said that he would like to play in as many games as possible, but wouldn’t “mind starting right in the playoffs.”

NHL hasn’t made any decisions regarding the continuation of the season so far, but the league is considering a number of options in order to avoid jeopardizing the 2020/21 season. One of the possibilities is reportedly extending the current season to August.

The post Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin Would Skip to Playoffs When NHL Resumes appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Washington Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin continues to add feats to his impressive resume. After providing an assist to T.J. Oshie for his first goal in Tuesday’s 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks, Ovechkin picked up his 1,180^th career point in NHL and became the top-scoring Russian player in league’s history.

The 33-year-old Capitals’ captain managed to surpass Hall of Famer and Detroit Red Wings legend Sergei Fedorov, who held the previous mark with 1,179 points. Fedorov needed 1,248 games to get this many points, while Ovechkin needed 193 games fewer for his.

“It’s history, and I passed all those legends,” – said Ovechkin after the game. “It’s pretty big and I appreciate everybody who do all work with me, my teammates, and it’s huge. When you start playing hockey and you came to the NHL, you just have a dream to score one goal or two and now I’m No. 1 on the all-time Russian list.”

“I knew eventually it’s going to come, but it’s pretty big,”- he added. “It’s pretty huge. To be No. 1 on the all-time list, it’s nice.”

Alex Ovechkin, who won the Stanley Cup with Capitals in 2018, holds a number of other records. He is tied with Bobby Hull for most NHL goal scoring titles with 7, while also being the only player to be selected to All-Star game in each of his first five seasons in the league. Ovechkin holds 16 Capitals’ franchise records as well, including those for most goals in a single season ( 65 in 2008-08) and most career goals and career points.

The post Alex Ovechkin Passes Sergei Fedorov as the Top-Scoring Russian in NHL appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Washington Capitals superstar forward Alexander Ovechkin continues to write his name in the NHL history books. By scoring two goals in a 2-5 win over the Calgary Flames, Ovechkin became just the third player ever to have 19 consecutive seasons with at least 20 goals.

Ovechkin now has 21 goals in the 2023-24 NHL campaign and has added 31 assists for a total of 52 points in 64 games.

Besides Ovechkin, only Gordie Howe and Brendan Shanahan managed to have 19 straight 20-goal seasons. Howe actually had 22 seasons with at least 20 goals, from 1949-50 to 1970-71. However, Ovechkin is the only player in NHL history to start the streak in his first season in the league.

The two goals also got Ovechkin closer to Wayne Gretzky’s all-time scoring record. His goal tally in the NHL now stands at 843 goals, and he needs to score 52 more to jump over Gretzky.

“There’s not many things that hasn’t been said about him, but he keeps doing it, even at age 38. It’s fun to be a part of, fun to watch,” said Capitals’ Dylan Strome about Ovechkin.

Ovechkin himself focused on the importance of the win, their third straight, which moved the Capitals into a wild-card spot.

“We know it’s not going to be easy. We keep fighting, keep playing,” said Ovechkin. “We still can do it. We’re still in the battle. Every point counts.”

The post Capitals’ Alexander Ovechkin Becomes Third Player in NHL History With 19 Consecutive 20-Goal Seasons appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin is set to spend an extended period away from the team as he spends time with his family attending to the health of a loved one. He will be away for the rest of the week and could be unavailable for even longer.

General manager Brian MacLellan informed the team of Ovechkin’s absence prior to a morning skate on Tuesday. While no further details have been revealed, the team is preparing for the scenario in which they have to continue without Ovechkin over the long term.

“When it comes to your family and parents, that’s what matters,” Capitals coach Peter Laviolette stated. “He’s going to deal with some things right now and we’re going to be supportive.”

Ovechkin’s absence will be further complicated because his family is located in Russia. With no direct flights between the United States and Moscow at present, as well as travel restrictions due to the ongoing war with Ukraine, Ovechkin’s journey to his family may be challenging. This also puts his return to the United States in jeopardy.

The post Capitals May Be Without Alex Ovechkin for Extended Period appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin has broken the NHL all-time record for shots on goal. Previously held by Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque, Ovechkin set a new record with his 6,210th shot on goal during the third period of the Capitals’ 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night.

As a result of his new tally, Ovechkin joined Bourque as the only two NHL players in history to exceed 6,000 career shots on goal. Following the victory over the Capitals, Ovechkin had taken his tally to 6,211 shots.

Now 37 years of age, Ovechkin has led the NHL in shots on goal on 11 occasions. This includes 10 times during his first 11 seasons in his career.

Despite his notable achievement on the night, Ovechkin has continued to struggle to find his form in recent games. The victory over the Senators marks the fourth game in a row in which the left wing has been unable to score a goal, thus leaving his goal tally at 800 throughout his career.

The post Alex Ovechkin Breaks NHL’s Shots on Goal Record appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Washington Capitals’ star Alex Ovechkin has added another milestone in his pursuit of greatness. With a hat-trick in a 7-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday, Ovechkin pushed his career goals total in NHL to 800.

Ovechkin is now only the third player in NHL history to reach this mark. He joins all-time greats Wayne Gretzky (894) and Gordie Howe (801).

“It’s a special night. To get two goals right away, I could feel the game,” Ovechkin told ESPN after the game. “I’m really proud that it’s over. Now, we can move on and focus on the next one.”

The next one for Ovechkin will be to chase Gretzky’s record for most goals in NHL history. While the record previously seemed unattainable, Ovechkin has a real chance to do something about it. He has 20 goals this season with 51 games left to be played. The 37-year-old player scored at least 48 goals in each of the last four full seasons.

Ovechkin already has a number of goal-scoring records in his possession, including being the player with the most NHL goal-scoring titles (9) and having the most career overtime goals (24), most career power-play goals (285) and most career game-opening goals (136).

The post Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin Third in NHL History to Reach 800 Goals appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Washington Capitals will be without left winger Alex Ovechkin after the 36-year-old star suffered a lower-body injury during his team’s match against the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday night. According to the Capitals, Ovechkin’s injury will be further examined soon.

Ovechkin bumped into Flyers forward Travis Konecny in the first period, after which he collapsed on the ice. After being slow to arise, Ovechkin was unable to place his weight on his left leg and had no choice but to sit out of the remainder of his team’s 3-5 victory.

Capitals coach Peter Laviolette had the following to say on the incident: “Any time a player leaves the ice you’re concerned. They’re going to re-evaluate him tomorrow and assess him for practice the next day. I think that’s where it’s at right now.”

In addition to Ovechkin, the Capitals are expected to be without top center Nicklas Backstrom at the start of the season due to the player suffering from a hip injury.

Ovechkin is at the start of a brand new, $47.5 million, five-year contract. He also happens to be the fifth-highest point scorer on the NHL career goals list.

The post Alex Ovechkin Injured In Capitals’ Preseason Finale appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Pittsburgh Penguins star center Sidney Crosby is ready to disregard a personal rivalry if that means witnessing history. During a chat with ESPN earlier this week, Crosby backed the Washington Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin to break the NHL’s scoring record.

Crosby and Ovechkin enjoyed a prolific rivalry since they entered the league in 2005, going head to head for awards and scoring titles multiple times. But the past isn’t stopping Crosby from wishing that his contemporary will surpass Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky and his mark of 894 goals in the league.

“I hope he does. I told him today that I hope he does,” said Crosby, who has 486 NHL goals of his own. “It would be awesome. He’s in range.”

Ovechkin has played 17 seasons in the league and scored 730 NHL goals. Getting 164 more seems doable, especially since the 36-year-old legend recently signed a five-year extension with Washington that should see him play through the 2025-26 NHL season.

 But despite being in reaching range of such a big all-time record, Ovechkin is trying not to think about it.

“I don’t even think about it right now, to be honest,” Ovechkin said via ESPN. “Because it’s too far. It’s a long way. And it’s a hard way. Whatever happens, happens.”

The post Sidney Crosby “Hopes” Alex Ovechkin Will Break NHL Scoring Record appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Alex Ovechkin is out of contract with Washington Capitals this offseason, but it appears the star winger isn’t thinking about testing the free market.

Speaking with the media, Ovechkin said that he’s “confident” in getting a new deal from the Capitals and once again reiterated his intention to retire with the franchise.

“I’m confident; we still have time,” said Ovechkin. “Obviously, I want to finish my career here. I’m pretty sure we will do something soon.”

Ovechkin signed his last deal in 2008 when he inked an NHL-record 13-year, $124 million contract with the Capitals. While many believed Washington overpaid the Russian at the time, the deal actually turned out to be a bargain.

During those 13 years, Ovechkin helped the Capitals win their first Stanley Cup while establishing himself as one of the best hockey players in history. He also won three Hart Memorial Trophies, an Art Ross Trophy, and led the league in scoring nine times.

This time around, the Capitals are reportedly hesitant to make a long-term commitment. They would be most comfortable with a one-year deal but are willing to consider a four-year option due to Ovechkin’s contribution to the franchise.

Regardless of the length, the new deal will almost surely make Alex Ovechkin one of the NHL’s highest-paid players in terms of annual salary. According to reports, the 35-year-old legend was asking for $12.5 million annually in early 2020, a number which would tie him with the Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid as the league’s top earner. It is unclear whether or not he adjusted his demands after the NHL introduced a flat salary cap due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The post Alex Ovechkin “Confident” He’ll Get a New Deal from the Capitals appeared first on SportzBonanza.

NHL season is currently suspended due to coronavirus and there is no indication of when and how it could be resumed. Washington Capitals’ captain Alex Ovechkin recently decided to offer his view on the matter, saying it would be best to skip the rest of the regular season.

Ovechkin recently had a chat with reporters via video call and said that he would prefer to skip straight to the playoff despite the fact that he was on pace to score 50 goals for the ninth time in his NHL career.

“I’d rather start the playoffs right away,” said Ovechkin. “Sorry, guys.”

However, Ovechkin acknowledges that this solution would not suit everyone.

“We don’t want to play extra games, but I know for different guys who fight for a playoff spot — and we’re still fighting for a playoff spot — some guys want extra games. For me, of course, the more games we will play, it will be better for fans and better for teams who are fighting for playoffs,” he added.

Ovechkin isn’t the only NHL star who would be down with NHL season resuming with playoffs. Pittsburgh Pirates’ Sidney Crosby recently said that he would like to play in as many games as possible, but wouldn’t “mind starting right in the playoffs.”

NHL hasn’t made any decisions regarding the continuation of the season so far, but the league is considering a number of options in order to avoid jeopardizing the 2020/21 season. One of the possibilities is reportedly extending the current season to August.

The post Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin Would Skip to Playoffs When NHL Resumes appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Washington Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin continues to add feats to his impressive resume. After providing an assist to T.J. Oshie for his first goal in Tuesday’s 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks, Ovechkin picked up his 1,180^th career point in NHL and became the top-scoring Russian player in league’s history.

The 33-year-old Capitals’ captain managed to surpass Hall of Famer and Detroit Red Wings legend Sergei Fedorov, who held the previous mark with 1,179 points. Fedorov needed 1,248 games to get this many points, while Ovechkin needed 193 games fewer for his.

“It’s history, and I passed all those legends,” – said Ovechkin after the game. “It’s pretty big and I appreciate everybody who do all work with me, my teammates, and it’s huge. When you start playing hockey and you came to the NHL, you just have a dream to score one goal or two and now I’m No. 1 on the all-time Russian list.”

“I knew eventually it’s going to come, but it’s pretty big,”- he added. “It’s pretty huge. To be No. 1 on the all-time list, it’s nice.”

Alex Ovechkin, who won the Stanley Cup with Capitals in 2018, holds a number of other records. He is tied with Bobby Hull for most NHL goal scoring titles with 7, while also being the only player to be selected to All-Star game in each of his first five seasons in the league. Ovechkin holds 16 Capitals’ franchise records as well, including those for most goals in a single season ( 65 in 2008-08) and most career goals and career points.

The post Alex Ovechkin Passes Sergei Fedorov as the Top-Scoring Russian in NHL appeared first on SportzBonanza.