Ovechkin joins NHL’s 700 club
Capitals star 8th to reach milestone
NEWARK, N.J. — With power and a prodigious shot, Alex Ovechkin now stands where few in the NHL have been.
He became the eighth NHL player to score 700 career goals, reaching the milestone in the third period of the Washington Capitals’ 3-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.
“It’s a special moment,” Ovechkin said. “When you get closer you start thinking when it’s going to happen. Finally, it’s over so we don’t have to talk about it anymore. We’re going to move on.”
The 34-year-old Russian forward one-timed a slap shot from the right circle that went in off the left post 4:50 into the third period.
Capitals players rushed onto the ice to congratulate their teammate, and Devils fans gave him a strong ovation.
“It was obviously a matter of time, but that was a huge goal for us at the time,” said Todd Rierden, in his second season as Capitals coach after serving as an assistant the previous four. “Amazing to be able to watch it live and in person. To be able to go through the last six years with [Ovechkin] has been amazing to watch. Certainly a superstar in my time, the best goal-scorer that I’ve ever seen.”
Wayne Gretzky leads the career list with 894 goals. He is followed by Gordie Howe (801), Jaromir Jagr (766), Brett Hull (741), Marcel Dionne (731), Phil Esposito (717) and Mike Gartner (708)
Jagr and Gartner both spent some time with the Capitals but nether reached the mark while playing for the team.
“It’s always special to be in that category,” Ovechkin said. “But I would say without my team, without my family, without the fans, the support that I have I would never reach that milestone. We have to continue to create history.
“I knew someday even if I didn’t score today we still have 20 games, so one goal I would score,” he said. “It’s pretty good company.”
He needed 1,144 games to reach the landmark, secondfastest behind Gretzky at 886 games.