Alex Ovechkin added to his illustrious resume Saturday.
The Captials star winger scored his 50th goal of the season in the team’s 6-3 win over the Lightening. It was the eighth time in Ovechkin’s career that he’s had 50-or-more goals in a single season, and he’s only the third player in NHL history to accomplish the feat eight or more times.
He joins a list of hockey legends Mike Bossy and Wayne Gretzky, who each had nine.
Number 50. #ALLCAPS @ovi8 pic.twitter.com/QV3RqRILBq
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 31, 2019
It wasn’t long after Ovechkin’s 50th, that he scored his 51st goal.
Fitty-One. #ALLCAPS @ovi8 pic.twitter.com/amAfSs2Qiv
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 31, 2019
Ovechkin, 33, became became the third oldest player in league history to record a 50-goal season — at the top of that list sits Jaromir Jagr (34), who scored 50 in the 2005-06 season and Johnny Bucyk (35) who has held the record for the oldest player since the 1970-71 season.
But, there’s more.
Ovechkin scored his 247th career power-play goal in the process and eclipsed Phil Esposito for sole possession of fifth and tied Luc Robitaille (247) for fourth on the NHL’s all-time list.
The Capitals already clinched a spot in the playoffs on March 28. They have just three regular-season games left on their schedule.
