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In a thrilling encounter on Thursday night, Alex Ovechkin moved closer to surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goals record by once again finding the net against veteran goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. The Washington Capitals captain netted his 871st goal during a power play in the second period of the match against the Minnesota Wild. However, Fleury would later thwart Ovechkin in the shootout, securing the win for the Wild.
“He scored once in the game already, so that was enough,” Fleury remarked with a laugh, showing appreciation for the ongoing rivalry. Throughout their two-decade competition, Ovechkin has scored an impressive 28 goals on Fleury in 47 encounters, primarily during Fleury’s tenure with the Pittsburgh Penguins. This record makes Fleury the goalie who has conceded the most goals to Ovechkin, who has tallied goals on a total of 178 different goalies in his career.
“I don’t enjoy being scored on by him, but I value our battles over the years,” Fleury said, indicating his awareness of the number of times Ovechkin has bested him in the net. According to stats, Fleury has faced Ovechkin more times than any other goalie, having seen 241 of Ovechkin’s record total of 6,708 shots.
“We’ve been playing against each other for 20 years,” Ovechkin noted. “It’s always enjoyable and challenging to face off against one of the best goalies out there.” As the second period was nearing its conclusion, Ovechkin cheekily approached Fleury and joked, “I need one more.” Fleury retorted with a smile, “You already got one,” highlighting their friendly rivalry.
With this latest goal, Ovechkin is now just 24 goals shy of breaking Gretzky’s longstanding benchmark of 894 goals, a target that once seemed insurmountable. The seasoned left winger, now 39 years old, has netted 18 goals this season and resumed his scoring touch with three goals in the four games since recovering from a broken left fibula, putting him on track for a potential record-breaking spring.
“We still have one more game, so I don’t want to speak too soon,” Fleury said, remaining humble despite his achievements. Among active goalies, only Sergei Bobrovsky is close to Ovechkin on the scoring list, having given up 16 goals. Following Fleury, Hall of Famer Henrik Lundqvist is noted for allowing 24 goals and Carey Price for 22.
Despite conceding yet another goal to Ovechkin, Fleury celebrated his 28th victory against the Capitals throughout his career. Capitals player Tom Wilson echoed the sentiments shared by many regarding Fleury, saying, “When he’s gone, the league will certainly miss him. He’s a fantastic goalie, and we’ve had our share of fierce battles against him. The camaraderie and respect between Ovechkin and Fleury are evident, showcasing two legends of the game having fun while competing at a high level.”
Ultimately, the Wild were pleased to contribute to a high note for Fleury during his potential last game in the nation’s capital. “Playing against this team and in this building means a lot to him,” noted forward Ryan Hartman, who got on the scoresheet for the first time since November 19. “It’s always an exciting match whenever he’s involved, and it seems to carry extra weight for him.”
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