Before I get into the blog I have to apologize for the late blog on this historic event, but unfortunately I was stuck in an airport flying to Dallas for Christmas and had no access to a computer. Also wanted to make a PSA no one should ever fly Southwest ever again what I had to deal with from delays to cancelations worst airline on planet earth. Ok lets get back to the greatness and history that occurred.
NHL history was made Friday night in Washington on home ice by their Captain Alex Ovechkin.
Alex opened the scoring during the game with goal 801 tying Gordie Howe for 2nd on the all-time goal scoring list. From a nice drop pass from Stromer on the apple This as his 1,310th career game, tying Howe’s 1,767 games played which makes Ovi 457 games faster than Mr. Hockey.
Goal 801 on David Rittich was Ovi’s 166th different goaltender scored on.
Also, Ovi completely owns Winnipeg he now has 53 career goals against them which is the most against any opponent the next closest is Tampa which Ovi has 50 career goals against.
Then as the Jets pulled their goalie late in the 3rd Alex took the puck into the zone and seemed disinterested in scoring his history making goal on an empty netter he dropped the pass to Kuzy who also didn’t want to score so he dished it back to Ovi against the left boards who then no-look flung the puck at the empty net and then history was made goal 802!
This was also Alex’s 54th career empty net goal.
I can’t say enough how grateful I am being a Caps fan all these years through the good and the bad. I became a fan two years before we got Ovechkin and being able to watch Alex’s whole career as a fan has been remarkable because it has made me the hockey fan today and the main reason I got into blogging hockey. So thank you Alex and let #TheGr8Chase begin! Gretzky, Alex is now solely in the rearview mirror and the distance is closing!
It was also super cool to see his family and especially his sons reacting to Ovi’s record setting goal just goosebump city all around.
Alex also got a great video from Mr. Hockey’s son congratulating him on passing his father’s record.
We also got to see a pretty cool moment after getting beat 4-1 by the Caps the whole Winnipeg team waited to shake Ovechkin’s hand after the game similar to how teams shake hands after a playoff series. Just a statement of overall respect that you just love to see it, super classy from the Jets.
With Alex passing Howe at 802 he now only has Gretzky to catch who sits at 894 which if he stays at this pace and health he should easily get 92 goals in the next 3ish years to become the all-time leader in NHL goals scored.
The tweet Backstrom had legit almost made me cry, like damn they are just bestfriends it crushes me that Backy couldn’t be on the ice for 802.
After this record breaking night and a great 4-1 win, the Caps are red hot right now and just beat the Rangers last night and now are 3rd in the Metro don’t let the boys stay hot cause they could seriously make some noise when we get all our injured guys back which I really hope Carlson is ok he got smoked by a puck in the face.
The Capitals are back in action Thursday against the Senators.
The Morning Skate 