TORONTO — The pursuit of Alex Ovechkin’s record has reignited following his recent performance. The Washington Capitals star scored an empty-net goal during the team’s 5-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. While not the most demanding goal in his remarkable tally of 869 NHL goals, it held particular significance as it marked his return from a 16-game absence due to injury.
After the game, Ovechkin humorously commented, “Every goal is hard to score in this league, so if you want to try, put on skates and go six on five.” With this latest goal, the Capitals’ captain moved closer to breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record of 894 career goals, now needing just 25 more with 46 games left in the regular season.
Ovechkin made his comeback after suffering a fractured left fibula on November 18 during a match against the Utah Hockey Club. The 39-year-old was quick to find his rhythm again, sharing, “I tried to feel how I feel with the puck, mentally, physically. And as soon as the first shift ended, I was feeling like ‘OK, now I could play.’”
Despite not being at his peak performance right away, Ovechkin managed to put points on the board with the empty-net goal coming later in the third period. He recorded three hits and three shots on goal during his nearly 15 minutes of ice time.
Capitals forward Tom Wilson noted that the excitement surrounding Ovechkin’s return was palpable, stating, “I’m sure you guys are excited. We’re excited when he’s walking out to the ice. People are like climbing on top of each other to get videos of him. He’s taking the hockey world on a crazy ride right now, and it’s rock star stuff.” Wilson added, “He’s the man and we love him in here, and he was flying for that goal. Nice to see him get back on track here.”
In response to Ovechkin’s return, Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube commented that their strategy remained unchanged. “When he’s playing, we’ve got to do a good job on him, and I thought we did tonight for the most part,” Berube remarked.
Before his injury, Ovechkin was enjoying a stellar season, leading the league with 15 goals in 18 games. He is now tied with Connor McMichael for the team lead at 16. Ovechkin’s journey to surpass Gretzky will continue as they face the Detroit Red Wings next. He expressed curiosity about how his body would handle playing two games within 24 hours, stating, “I have to find a rhythm, feel the game and try to do the little things.”
During Ovechkin’s absence, the Capitals performed well, going 10-5-1. Despite initial skepticism regarding both Ovechkin’s and the Capitals’ prospects this season, coach Spencer Carbery has led the team to a notable 24-9-2 record, positioning them just one point behind the New Jersey Devils in the Metropolitan Division standings.
If Ovechkin can return to the level he played at before injury, the Capitals could become a significant contender as the season progresses and the playoffs approach. For now, Ovechkin was simply pleased to be back on the ice and contributing again. “It’s nice to be back on the board,” he concluded.
