Caps to celebrate Alex Ovechkin surpassing legendary player Gordie Howe with 802nd goal in NHL All-Time list
Washington Capitals prepare to celebrate Alex Ovechkin’s milestone achievement as he crosses Gordie Howe’s all-time goal record, nearing ‘The Great One’s margin.
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Alex Ovechkin - Credits: IMAGO / ZUMA Wire
Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin marked his 801 and 802 goals against Winnipeg Jets on December 23. His 802nd goal record helped him surpass the hockey legend Gordie Howe’s record, nearing Wayne Gretzky’s first spot. He is currently 75 steps back before surpassing Gretzky’s 894 records in NHL.
As his personal achievements pile up, the team decided to honor their captain for surpassing Howe’s record with his family present on the ice. After his father Mikhail’s death, it’ll be the first time his mother will be seated in the arena. His mother, wife Anasthasia, and their two children Sergei and Ilya will be present on ice.
The celebration will take place on Tuesday prior game against Columbus Blue Jackets at Capital One Arena. Although celebrations will lighten up the mood, it’s undeniable that the Capitals are barely hanging onto their playoff spot. Currently, they are trailing the Pittsburgh Penguins by 5 points for the 2nd wild card entry.
Caps praise Alex Ovechkin for his achievements
There are 11 games remaining in the Eastern Conference before the 2022-23 season ends, while the Caps may miss out for the first time since 2014. Alex Ovechkin talked about the celebration and game, “Every day is an important day for us”. “We stick together and try to do anything that’s possible to just kind of be together and help each other out.”
Following his father’s funeral, ‘The Great Eight’ has been out of the game with injury though not for a long time. He appreciated the support from his team and thanked them for giving him the time to recuperate and come back in 100% health.
Capitals forward Tom Wilson said, “Everyone was trying to be there for him as much as you could”. “There’s only so much you can do or say, but you just try to let him know that we’re there for him. Other than family, hockey is a love and a passion of his and being around the team and being around the game is good.”
“That being said, there’s stuff that goes on beyond hockey. Unfortunately, when that comes to the forefront, it’s hard to get over it. As a team, you just try to be there for him when you can.” Not only Ovechkin, but many key players were absent from ice this regular season due to injuries and health problems.
Apart from Ovie, Wilson, Nicklas Backstrom, and John Carlson have been out of the lineup for some time before joining. Following Dmitry Orlov’s trade, Ovie commented, “He’s a very good friend of mine, a great player”. “All the guys who are leaving, it’s very hard.”
Wilson praising Ovechkin said, “He just keeps scoring”. “That’s the common theme. He just keeps scoring goals. That’s huge for our team. When you have a guy like him, that gives you a chance to win to win every night. He’s done a great job, an amazing job considering what he’s gone through in the last month.”
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Kaushani Chatterjee
(2156 Articles Published)