Alex Ovechkin became the first player in NHL history to reach 900 career goals scored when he scored Wednesday night against the St. Louis Blues.
With his Washington Capitals holding a 1-0 lead in the second period, Ovechkin coralled a rebound off a missed Jakob Chychrun slapshot at the right goal line. He then slipped the puck into the net past goaltender Jordan Binnington for a 2-0 Washington lead.
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As the horn sounded, Capitals players poured off the bench to swarm Ovechkin at the glass to celebrate the latest milestone for hockey’s greatest goal scorer. An appreciative home crowd in Washington joined the celebration from the stands with a standing ovation.
The Capitals cruised to a 6-1 victory.
The Capitals captain hit the milestone more than 20 years after he made his NHL debut on Oct. 5, 2005, when he scored the first two of his 900 career goals.
[Get more Capitals news: Washington team feed]
Ovechkin began this season with 897 regular-season goals. He reached 900 in Washington’s 13th game of the season.
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In April, Ovechkin scored his 895th career goal to break Wayne Gretzky’s long-standing NHL record. He finished with 44 goals last season, the 14th time he’s scored at least 40 goals in a season.
On Saturday, he became the eighth player in NHL history to play 1,500 games with one franchise.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 NHL Draft entered the league and immediately made an impact, scoring 52 goals during his first season and earning the 2005-06 Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie. His ability to beat goaltenders on a regular basis has earned him nine Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophies as the top goal scorer.
Other accolades Ovechkin has earned includes three Hart Trophies as regular-season MVP, eight appearances as an NHL first-team All-Star, and a Stanley Cup title and playoff MVP in 2018.
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The 40-year-old Ovechkin will see his contract expire following the 2025-26 NHL season, but he’s yet to confirm his future plans.
“I’m just going to enjoy it,” Ovechkin said before the season. “I’m going to enjoy the season, and we’ll see what’s going to happen.”
