Star NHL player Alex Ovechkin scored his 800th career goal Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks, helping the Capitals win 7-3. It was his third goal of the night.
Facing down Chicago goaltender Petr Mrazek, Ovechkin made his first shot only 24 seconds into the game, scoring the 136th game-opening goal of his career. “The Great Eight” made another shot eight minutes after that and then achieved the hat trick at the 6:34 mark of the third period, according to The Associated Press.
His teammates wrapped around him and patted his helmet after the goal, with the crowd chanting “Ovi! Ovi!”
“It’s a special night. To get two goals right away, I could feel the game,” Ovechkin said on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” after the game. “I’m really proud that it’s over. Now, we can move on and focus on the next one.”
“This … it’s huge. It’s huge for hockey, it’s huge for the organization,” he reportedly told his teammates after the game. “And to do it with you guys, it’s special.”
ALEX OVECHKIN’S 8️⃣0️⃣0️⃣TH CAREER GOAL 👏 pic.twitter.com/IvurRAhCVt
— ESPN (@espn) December 14, 2022
Ovechkin, 37, is only one of three players in NHL history to ever score 800 goals over their career, joining hockey legends Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe. On top of this achievement, it marks Ovechkin’s 29th career hat trick and his 1,305th career game.
Howe made his 800th goal in February 1980 and Gretzky overtook him for career goals in March 1994. Gretzky still holds the lead at 894 career goals.
Ovechkin was drafted by Washington in 2004 after having started his career with Dynamo Moscow.