Tag: Alex Ovechkin

Alex Ovechkin’s son scored a combined goal with his dad and Sidney Crosby

Alex Ovechkin’s son stole the show with this adorable goal.

Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby have quite the history with one another, but even a fated reunion between two old rivals was outdone by an adorable up-and-coming hockey star.

On Friday, during the 2023 NHL All-Star Skills Competition, Ovechkin and Crosby competed together during the breakaway challenge, much to the enjoyment of hockey fans everywhere. That wasn’t all, however, as Ovechkin brought out his four-year-old son — Sergei Ovechkin — to help the pair along.

The three then skated down the ice together on a 3-on-0 before Ovi Jr. put the puck in between the legs of Roberto Luongo for the adorable finish.

Now that’s how it’s done! What a moment for father and son, and props to Crosby for his part in making the goal special as well. Don’t worry guys, the 2036 NHL Draft class will be here before we know it.

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Top-Shelf Takes: It’s time we stop taking Alex Ovechkin for granted

It’s time to stop treating Alex Ovechkin’s greatness as mundane.

Welcome to Top-Shelf Takes, a weekly series from staff writer Mary Clarke all about the NHL. Lace up your skates as we dive deep into the epic highs and lows of this little sport called hockey.

I think we, as hockey fans, have been desensitized to the greatness of Alex Ovechkin.

It’s pretty understandable how we got here, honestly. Ovechkin has been playing in the NHL for nearly two decades. The life-long Washington Capital has been part of our lives as hockey fans since he put up 52 goals and 106 points in his rookie year way back in 2005-06. For some hockey fans, they’ve never known a world in which Ovechkin hasn’t been automatic from his left wing circle office.

On Tuesday, Ovechkin scored his 800th career goal, making him just the third NHL player in history to hit that mark alongside Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky. Ovechkin entered the night needing three goals to hit 800 and, fittingly, scored a hat trick to cap off the historical evening.

And hey, not an empty netter in sight either!

Ovechkin is now just 95 goals away from passing Gretzky and breaking the NHL’s career goal scoring record that’s stood the test of time since 1999. Quick math says Ovechkin is currently on a 52-goal pace, which would put him at 832 on the year after he finishes his age-37 season. As long as Ovechkin stays healthy and continues to pace this well, we’ll be witnessing NHL history before his 40th birthday in 2025.

For some time now, it’s felt like we — as a hockey community — have taken what Ovechkin is doing for granted. When the greatest goal scorer of our time routinely scores 50 times over the course of an 82-game season, it can feel a bit mundane in the thick of it. But scaling out to a wider view, Ovechkin’s greatness is simply… breathtaking.

Think about it. Ovechkin is chasing a record many never believed would be broken set by the greatest hockey player of all time. As someone who never watched Gretzky play growing up, Ovechkin’s chase to become the best goal scorer in NHL history has no comparable. And somehow, for many of us, this display of grandeur has become the norm. Expected even!

One day, sometime very soon, Ovechkin won’t be playing in the NHL anymore. It seems impossible to fathom now but it’s a fact. And hopefully before then, Ovechkin becomes the NHL’s greatest scorer of all time. Until that point, I’m no longer going to take Ovechkin for granted. Every goal he’s ever scored and every goal he will ever score before his career ends is a gift that we should be cherishing. Because one day, Ovechkin will no longer be playing hockey and these moments we once looked forward to will only be memory.

Now that Alex Ovechkin has reached 800 goals (!), when will he catch Wayne Gretzky?

If Ovi keeps this up, it’s going to happen.

Alex Ovechkin continues to be an unreal goal-scorer, and age is nothing but a number for him.

He scored a hat trick on Tuesday night, and with goal No. 3 on the night against the Chicago Blackhawks, he notched 800 goals in his unbelievable career.

Next is Gordie Howe (801). And after that? He’s got his eyes set on Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record of 894 goals.

So when could he do that?

First, you have to assume that he stays healthy as his chase continues. Let’s use last year’s number of 77 games played (in which he scored 50 times!) as what he’ll play this year, which would put him around 49 goals (AT AGE 37!!). That gets him to 829.

Let’s do 77 games again and maybe guess that he takes a slight step back … how does 40 goals sound? We get to 869.

That means he’d need “just” 26 goals at age 39 to pass Gretzky in 2024-25.

That was extremely unscientific, but he’s 94 goals away. As long as he keeps playing at even 85 percent of the level he’s playing at right now, he’s got more than a shot.

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Alex Ovechkin is unreal

Ovi broke the record for most power play goals with a vintage one-timer.

Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin broke the NHL record for power play goals in dramatic fashion on Friday evening.

His one-timer from above the circle beat Detroit goalie Thomas Greiss with 2:51 left in the game — and only a second (or maybe less) remaining on the power play. It was the 275th of his career, passing Dave Andreychuk.

Ovechkin would add an empty-net goal to seal Washington’s 3-1 win.

The record-breaking goal was vintage. Nobody has ever shot the puck as well as Ovechkin. He’s overpowering. He’s accurate. He finds ways to get open. He gets his shots through traffic.

Even though you know the puck will eventually funnel to him and have seen him score in this way hundreds of times, it’s somehow surprising:

What a beauty.

Ovechkin is 36 years old and playing some of the best hockey of his career:

Ovechkin continues to race up the all-time goal list, too. He needs 12 goals to match Jaromir Jagr for third place (766) and 47 to reach Gordie Howe in second (801). Wayne Gretzky holds the all-time record at 894, a mark that once seemed untouchable given the improved goaltending and focus on defensive-oriented systems in this era.

But Ovechkin just keeps scoring. It’s remarkable. And, also, he’s very chill.

“Yeah, it’s a pretty cool place to be, obviously.”

Thanks, Ovi.

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Alex Ovechkin amazingly continues climb towards Wayne Gretzky’s goals record by tying Brett Hull

Father Time has nothing on Alex Ovechkin.

I am honestly starting to run out of words to describe Alex Ovechkin. At 36-years-old, Ovechkin continues to defy the typical NHL aging curve as he chases down Wayne Gretzky’s elusive goals record at a breakneck pace.

On Monday, Ovechkin added yet another goal to his total with No. 741 in his career, tying Brett Hull for fourth place all time in NHL history in goals scored. Against the Buffalo Sabres, Ovechkin added to the Washington Capitals’ lead with a deflection shot that was originally credited to Dmitry Orlov, but was given to the team captain after the fact.

While it may not be the typical goal you see from Ovechkin — his famous one-timer from his office in the circle — this greasy hockey tally helped to put him back on top of the NHL goals leaderboard for the season.

With that goal, Ovechkin now has 11 on the year in 12 games and has overtaken 26-year-old Leon Draisaitl for top scorer in the NHL as well. This is, without a doubt, one of the best starts to a season Ovechkin has ever had in his career. While Ovechkin’s shooting percentage of 18 percent will likely regress back down just a bit, he is on a 75-goal pace this season, something not many thought possible at his age.

Year after year, Ovechkin continues to find another gear to push himself further. Now just 153 goals away from tying Gretzky, history continues to be made in front of our very eyes.

It’s hard not to think of what could have been for Ovechkin over his career had two lockouts and two COVID-shortened seasons not taken away at least 100 games from him. Not only that, Ovechkin has hardly ever missed time in his career due to injury, making his run as the best goal scorer in modern NHL history even more impressive.

In short order, Ovechkin will pass Hull to take over sole possession of fourth place all-time in the NHL record books. At 766 goals, the great Jaromir Jagr awaits his turn for Ovechkin to pass him, a mark that very likely will be hit this season. Ovechkin still has so much more hockey to be played ahead of him and I, for one, cannot wait to see where it takes him.

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Brandon Dubinsky reignites Crosby vs. Ovechkin debate with savage takedown

Brandon Dubinsky’s grudge against Sidney Crosby runs deep.

Brandon Dubinsky wants you to know where he stands on the Sidney Crosby versus Alex Ovechkin debate. The 34-year-old member of the Columbus Blue Jackets — who has essentially played his final game in the NHL in 2019 due to a chronic wrist injury — officially reignited the age-old debate between the two NHL stars after some harsh words about Crosby on a podcast this week.

In speaking to the The Garage Beers Podcast on Thursday, Dubinsky made it crystal clear who he prefers between Crosby and Ovechkin.

“Dude, f— Sid. I’ll take Ovi every day of the week.”

Dubinsky then followed up his comments with a small anecdote.

“Listen, I asked Ovi for an autographed stick. I got it from him, thanked him for it. I would never ask Sid for a stick, ever.”

The forward then doubled down on Twitter on Friday, stating that even though Crosby is better than him, the Pittsburgh Penguins captain “just whined way too much and Ovi just shut up and played hard.”

It’s no surprise Dubinsky has such animosity towards Crosby, considering their in-game history with one another. Dubinsky and Crosby, over the course of their careers, have butted heads multiple times, from locker room exchanges to a rare fight from the usually stoic Penguins captain.

The tension between the two came to a head when Dubinsky earned himself a one-game suspension in 2015 for cross-checking Crosby in the neck.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKIKf7PXjnQ

The Ovechkin vs. Crosby debate has seen much less airtime over the years, especially after the Washington Capitals won its first Stanley Cup in 2018. Both Crosby and Ovechkin are elite caliber hockey players, with Crosby winning three Stanley Cups, two Hart trophies for league MVP, two Art Ross trophies for being the league leader in points, among countless other awards. Ovechkin, on the other hand, has just one Stanley Cup ring, but has three Hart trophies, one Art Ross Trophy, and won the Calder Trophy for rookie of the year in 2006.

Ovechkin also sits at No. 6 in NHL history in goals scored with 724 over his 16-year career, while Crosby is just six points behind his Capitals counterpart in 164 fewer regular season games played.

It’s been clear for some time that Crosby and Ovechkin are hard to compare to one another due to the differences in their roles and play styles. At this point in their respective careers, it’s fair to say that Crosby is one of the best, most decorated overall players in NHL, while Ovechkin is one of the top pure goal scorers in league history.

Still, the debate makes for some fun chatter online, and it’s clear Dubinsky has maintained his line in the sand for where he stands on the topic.

All in a day’s work.

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Alex Ovechkin scores 700th career goal with beautiful one-timer vs. Devils

The Capitals’ captain is only the eighth player in the 700 club.

Alex Ovechkin became the 8th player in NHL history to score 700 career goals on Saturday with a quick one-timer (from the opposite side of the net he’s usually on) almost five minutes into the third period.

The Washington Capitals’ captain has been on fire this season and entered Saturday’s road game against the New Jersey Devils ranked third in the league with 41 goals so far. Well, now 42 — though he’s still third behind Bruins’ David Pastrnak and Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews, both with 43.

All year, Ovechkin has been climbing up the NHL’s all-time career goals list, and he’s currently eighth, which didn’t change with historic goal No. 700. That one-timer against Devils goalie Mackenzie Blackwood was his 437th career even-strength goal, which is 11th most in NHL history, according to NBC Sports Washington’s broadcast.

It was a beautiful goal that helped the Capitals tie the game at 2-2, and you can even hear the puck ricochet off the post.

On February 4 in a win over the Los Angeles Kings, Ovechkin scored a hat trick, which brought him to 698 career goals. And at the rate he’s been scoring this season — he netted eight goals in three games ahead of the NHL All-Star Weekend — it was assumed 700 was only a couple days away.

However, he went five games without scoring for his longest drought of the season before getting 699 on Thursday in a loss to the Montreal Canadiens. (Washington also entered Saturday’s game having lost five of its last six games.)

The 34-year-old winger remains easily on pace for his second straight season with at least 50 goals and ninth overall. He’s also now just eight goals behind Mike Gartner for No. 7 on the all-time goals list, and even Wayne Gretzky thinks Ovechkin has a “real legitimate chance” to break his record of 894 career goals.

UPDATE: The Capitals lost, 3-2, to the Devils for their sixth loss in seven games.

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Montreal Canadiens at Washington Capitals odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Thursday’s Montreal Canadiens at Washington Capitals sports betting odds and lines, with NHL matchup analysis, picks and tips.

The Montreal Canadiens (27-27-8) visit the Washington Capitals (37-17-5) Thursday at Capital One Arena for a 7 p.m. ET puck drop. We analyze the Canadiens-Capitals odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

The Canadiens enter on a five-game skid, recently losing at the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 Tuesday. The Capitals own a two-game losing streak and have dropped four of their last five – recently suffering a 3-2 setback at the Vegas Golden Knights Monday.

Canadiens at Capitals: Projected starting goalies

Carey Price vs. Braden Holtby

Price is 24-22-5 with a 2.76 goals against average (GAA), a .910 save percentage and three shutouts. The 2015 Vezina Trophy winner’s recent struggles have been in direct correlation with the Habs’ skid. He’s allowed 17 goals – at least 3 per game – in the current five-game losing streak. He’s 1-1 vs. the Capitals this season, winning at Washington 5-2 Nov. 15, and losing 4-2 (allowing 3 goals) in Montreal Jan. 27.

Holtby – the 2016 Vezina Trophy winner – is 21-13-4 with a 3.11 GAA, an .897 SV% and no shutouts. He was pulled in his last start after yielding 7 goals on 25 shots in a 7-2 loss vs. the Philadelphia Flyers Saturday. He did win the start before that, beating the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 Feb. 13. He did not play in the first game vs. the Canadiens, but he was the winning goalie Jan. 27 when he stopped 31 of 33 shots.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Canadiens at Capitals: Key injuries

Canadiens

  • D Victor Mete (foot) questionable
  • RW Brendan Gallagher (lower body) questionable

Capitals

  • C Evgeny Kuznetsov (upper body) questionable

Canadiens at Capitals: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 2:10 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Capitals 5, Canadiens 2

Moneyline (ML)

AVOID. The Capitals (-209) are just too expensive. Every $2.09 wagered on the Caps ML only profits $1 if they win. The Canadiens (+170) offer value – a 1.7-to-1 payoff – but I can’t back a team on a 5-game slide. I’ll PASS.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (PL/ATS)

WASHINGTON (-1.5, +135) is the STRONGEST PLAY. Look for LF Alex Ovechkin to snap a 5-game scoreless streak in his quest for 700 career goals – he has 698 – in front of a raucous home crowd as the Caps return from a three-game road trip. The Canadiens (+1.5, -162) will be skating into an ambush here.

Over/Under (O/U)

A slight lean to the OVER 5.5 (-154). The Over is 4-1-1 in the last six head-to-head matchups, while the Capitals are 6-0-1 Over in their last seven vs. Eastern Conference teams.

Every $1.54 bet on the Over profits $1 if there are 6 or more goals scored.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Johnny’s 2019-20 NHL strongest plays: 10-5.

Strongest plays (all sports) since Dec. 1: 24-10.

Follow @JohnnyParlay11 and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Washington Capitals at Montreal Canadiens odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Monday’s Washington Capitals at Montreal Canadiens sports betting odds and lines, with NHL matchup analysis, picks and tips.

The Washington Capitals (33-11-5) visit the Montreal Canadiens (22-21-7) Monday at the Bell Centre for a 7 p.m. ET puck drop. We analyze the Capitals-Canadiens odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

The Capitals, who lead the Metropolitan Division by 4 points, open the second half of the season on a three-game winning streak. The Canadiens own a two-game win streak and have won four of their last five.

Capitals at Canadiens: Projected starting goalies

Braden Holtby vs. Carey Price

Holtby is 18-9-4 with a 3.09 goals against average (GAA) and a .897 save percentage. The 2016 Vezina Trophy winner allowed four goals on 22 shots in his last start before being removed for Ilya Samsonov after the second period at the New York Islanders Jan. 18 – Washington scored five third-period goals to rally for a 6-4 win.

Price – the 2015 Vezina Trophy winner – is 20-16-4 with a 2.84 GAA and a .908 SV%. He won his last four starts and features a 2.11 GAA in January. He stopped 26 of 28 shots in a 5-2 home win vs. the Capitals Nov. 15, the one time these two clubs met this season.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Capitals at Canadiens: Key injuries, suspensions

Capitals

  • LW Alex Ovechkin (one-game suspension for skipping All-Star game) out

Canadiens

  • C Paul Byron (knee) out
  • C Jonathan Drouin (wrist) out
  • RW Brendan Gallagher (head) out

Capitals at Canadiens: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 7:15 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Canadiens 5, Capitals 3

Moneyline (ML)

Back the CANADIENS (+115) despite a 10-12-4 home record and the Capitals’ 18-6-1 road mark. Washington is (-139), but Holtby has struggled in January, going 1-2 with a 3.82 GAA and an .857 SV% in four starts.

Every $1 wagered on the Canadiens ML will profit $1.15 if they prevail.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (PL/ATS)

AVOID. Montreal (+1.5, -239) is too expensive – the Habs are 25-25 vs. the PL overall and 9-17 vs. the PL at home. Washington (-1.5, +190) offers a 1.9-to-1 payoff, but since I’m going with the home team ML play, I’ll PASS.

Over/Under (O/U)

The OVER 5.5 (-154) is bit more costly than usual, but it’s the STRONGEST PLAY. I won’t be surprised if the O/U closes at 6. Washington is 7-3 O/U in its last 10 and 31-18 O/U overall. Montreal is usually an Under team, going 2-8 O/U in its last 10, but I’m counting on the Habs to find the back of the net several times vs. Holtby.

Every $1.54 bet on the Over profits $1 if there are 6 or more goals scored.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Johnny’s record since Dec. 1: 36-24-2. Strongest plays: 20-9.

January’s NHL record: 5-2. Strongest plays: 3-1.

Follow @JohnnyParlay11 and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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