The fight between Ovechkin and Svechnikov has reached a new level. How the NHL’s Top Snipers Are Cut

Ovechkin is a stone’s throw from Howe

Alexander Ovechkin is inexorably approaching, like the Terminator, Wayne Gretzky’s record. Now he scored on the power play when he escaped from the left circle and hit the Carolina net.

As well-known politician Viktor Chernomyrdin said, “It has never happened before, and here it is again.”

And we will answer in rhyme: 785.

This is the number of goals scored by Alexander the Great in his career.

Ovechkin’s goal was the 785th of his NHL career and moved him closer to Gordie Howe’s record for most goals on a single team. In case you didn’t know, Howe scored 386 goals with the Detroit Red Wings. And now, in the next game, Ovi can catch up to him, or even pass him.

Most goals in the NHL, playing for one club – this is not just a poem about a great sniper. It’s another ode to great loyalty and dedication to a team. Moreover, Ovechkin is distinguished by this both in America (Washington) and in Russia (Moscow Dynamo, where he grew up as a hockey player).

Only once did Ovechkin leave for another club, when in 2005 he left for the NHL, and the former leader of Dynamo Moscow put an obstacle in his way, demanding significant compensation. Then Ovechkin signed a contract with Avangard and even trained in Omsk, posing in the colors of the new club. But he never played a single official game for the Hawks, leaving for Washington soon.

Laviolette: We weren’t lucky enough to win at the end

In the game against Carolina, of course, we watched the duel between Svechnikov and Ovechkin. Do you remember how young and hot Andrey climbed on Alexander in the playoffs and an epic fight took place between them?

Now no one waved their fists – and thank goodness! The duel between Svechnikov and Ovechkin is now in a different format. Andriy scored his eighth goal of the season, just one length behind Connor McDavid (9) on the league’s top scorers list.

“I think it was a really close game,” Carolina head coach Rod Brindamore said. – I am very happy. I like that we stuck to our plan and didn’t deviate from it.”

The score in regular time was 2:2, and in the third period we saw no goals scored, and Washington took penalties at the end. Two minutes before the end of the third period, Markus Johansson tripped Svechnikov, and in the third minute of extra time, Lars Eller was also sent off for tripping Sebastian Aho. But both times, Carolina failed to achieve the majority.

“I don’t like the way the game ended,” Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette said. We had no chance of winning it. Then there was a shootout, and in that duel they were better than us.

It’s also worth remembering that Washington played without forward TJ Oshi and defenseman John Carlson, who suffered lower-body injuries in Saturday’s 3-0 win over the Nashville Predators. Oshie is out indefinitely and Carlson will be back any day.

Brilliant ball Kuznetsov

And then there were the bullets. First, defenseman Brent Burns scored against the Carolinas, then the score was fully evened with flying colors by Evgeny Kuznetsov. Legs outstretched, he rolled over goalkeeper Frederik Andersen, while delicately touching the puck. From the outside, Kuznetsov resembled the tall blind Panikovsky, who had gone out to the boulevard to cut Comrade Koreiko’s wallet. Having reached the gate like that, Kuzya put the puck in the gate with a well-aimed shot. Everything ingenious is simple.

Then Andrey Svechnikov executed his shot and scored. But Alexander Ovechkin did not use his attempt. And after that, Martin Nechas didn’t score against Carolina and Dylan Strom didn’t score against Washington.

Lost in shootout, although Ovechkin scored 99 (47+52) points in 86 games against Carolina during his career. It’s symbolic: after all, 99 is the match number of Wayne Gretzky, whose record Alexander Ovechkin follows.

There are still 16 stages to catch Howe. And only 110 steps to pass Gretzky. According to our estimates, this could happen at the end of the 2024/25 season.