Alex Ovechkin put back a rebound and skated into the spotlight as the latest member of the NHL鈥檚 600-goal club.
The captain of the Washington Capitals scored twice Monday night against the Winnipeg Jets to reach the milestone in his 990th regular-season game. Ovechkin became the fourth-fastest player in NHL history to 600 behind only Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Brett Hull.
亚洲天堂 | Becomes Fourth-Fastest Player in History to Score 600 Goals
鈥� Washington Capitals (@Capitals)
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Ovechkin鈥檚 rebound goal past Connor Hellebuyck 3:53 into the second period was his 42nd of the season as he tries to hit 50 for the eighth time. His first goal 4:35 into the first period came on a 5-on-3 power play as the Russian winger looked determined to reach 600 after several games on the doorstep.
Capitals fans who have watched Ovechkin shine as the most productive goal scorer of the past decade-plus gave him a standing ovation for almost a minute after he reached the mark. Chants of 鈥淥vi! Ovi!鈥� continued as he waved from the bench in the moments after and during a video montage at the next timeout.
After scoring 33 goals in 2016-17, his second-lowest total in a non-lockout-shortened season, the 32-year-old Ovechkin鈥檚 resurgence made his climb to 600 all the more impressive. No player 32 or older has led the NHL in goals since Phil Esposito in 1974-75.
鈥淗e probably is the best goal scorer of our generation,鈥� said Tom Wilson, who had the primary assist on Ovechkin鈥檚 600th. 鈥淚t鈥檚 pretty fun when every time you get him the puck there鈥檚 a good chance he鈥檚 going to put it in the back of the net.鈥�
Ovechkin recaptured sole possession of the NHL lead against Jets winger Patrik Laine, who had tied him after idolizing the star forward growing up. Even while hoping Ovechkin wouldn鈥檛 score No. 600 against Winnipeg, Laine can鈥檛 help but appreciate the scoring pace.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 pretty amazing to reach that,鈥� Laine said Monday morning. 鈥淪ix-hundred goals in under 1,000 games, it鈥檚 pretty unreal.鈥�
Two former Capitals teammates, Matt Hendricks and Mathieu Perreault, were watching from the Jets鈥� side when Ovechkin reached his latest round number in a career full of accomplishments.
鈥淲hen I played here, it鈥檚 funny, you always want to get the puck on his stick,鈥� said Hendricks, who was in the penalty box for Ovechkin鈥檚 first goal. 鈥淗e has that ability to change games just like that. 鈥� Ovi鈥檚 a terrific talent.鈥�
Perreault, who played with 684-goal scorer Teemu Selanne in Anaheim, said Ovechkin reaching 600 so quickly was indescribable.
鈥淭he way he can shoot the puck and score goals is beyond what you can even think about,鈥� Perreault said. 鈥淚 can tell my grandkids, my kids, I played with Ovechkin. He鈥檚 going to be a legend of the game.鈥�
Ovechkin has been an impressive scorer for a long time, but had to adapt his game several years ago when opponents figured out how to stop some of his usual moves. Barry Trotz taking over as Capitals coach helped Ovechkin round out his overall game and avoid the kind of lull that goal-scorers typically hit when they turn 30.
The growth in Ovechkin鈥檚 game isn鈥檛 lost on players and coaches around the league who have watched his career.
鈥淲hen he came in (he was) a hitter almost 鈥� a shooter and a hitter,鈥� Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice said. 鈥淗e was a very physical player, covered an awful lot of ice during the games. And he鈥檚 matured into kind of picking his spots, he鈥檚 still a hard guy to play against, physically very, very strong.
鈥淏ut he uses the people around him better, maybe. And that鈥檚 true of all players. But his game has really changed. He鈥檚 really grown and matured.鈥�
Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press
