Ovechkin’s Hat Trick Brings Him 29 Goals from Gretzky’s Record

Alex Ovechkin isn’t slowing down at age 39. The legendary sniper scored his first hat trick since 2022, propelling the Washington Capitals to victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday and reigniting excitement around his pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time scoring record.

With this dynamic and seemingly ageless performance, Ovechkin tallied his 11th, 12th, and 13th goals of the season, moving into a share of the NHL’s goal-scoring lead. The Capitals won 5-2, with Jakob Chychrun and Jakub Vrana also scoring. Brett Howden and Keegan Kolesar scored for the Golden Knights. Ovechkin finished the game a plus/minus +3 and with five shots on net. He played 14:53, sixth most among Capitals skaters.

The three-goal effort brings Ovechkin’s career total to 866 goals, leaving him just 29 shy of Gretzky’s iconic mark of 894. The countdown to history is officially heating up, and the record seems to be well within reach.

Despite the demands of an NHL season and the challenges of aging, Ovechkin continues to defy expectations and solidify his place in history. What makes it even more special is that he’s bringing the Capitals along with him, keeping them in contention early in the season.

Is It A Matter of If and Not When For Ovechkin?

As the season progresses, it seems inevitable now that Ovechkin will pass Gretzky. The question might become how quickly he gets there and how much of a cushion he puts on the lead once he gets it.

There was a ton of trepidation going into the season with many doubting that Ovechkin could surpass Gretzky’s record this year. While it won’t be in 2024 that he does it, it’s hard to imagine “The Great One” holding on any longer than 2025.

One thing is certain—Ovechkin’s pursuit of the record is becoming must-watch programming.

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