Alex Ovechkin dropped to a knee and did his customary fist pump, but it was easy to tell this one was different.
Ovechkin scored his 50th goal of the season in the Washington Capitals’ 4-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes, ripping a shot past goaltender Cam Ward just 11:12 into the first period.
In turn, the goal was the 472nd Ovechkin’s career, tying him with Peter Bondra for the most goals scored in franchise history.
Ovechkin has now scored 50 goals in a season on six occasions — he was on pace to surpass the mark in 2012-13 as well, when a lockout shortened the schedule to 48 games — and puts him among elite company. Only Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy, who scored more than 50 goals in nine seasons, and Mario Lemieux, Marcel Dionne and Guy Lafleur, who each did it six times, have accomplished such a feat.
“Every year is getting harder and harder, but I said, it’s a huge accomplishment being with the names up there,” Ovechkin said. “It’s always nice. I will say, every year, you don’t know what to expect from yourself and how you gonna play. Maybe luck not gonna be on your side or something gonna happen, but things are good. Everything’s going well right now and team playing well.”
While Bondra played in 961 games over parts of 14 seasons with the Capitals, Ovechkin reached the mark having played in just 755 games. Washington has five games remaining for Ovechkin to surpass Bondra and could surpass the longtime left wing in a road game against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday.
Ovechkin scored 52 goals in 2005-06, his rookie year, and hit a high-water mark in 2007-08, his third season, when he scored 65 goals and had 112 points. After three seasons with fewer than 40 goals, he crossed the 50-goal mark again last season, when he finished with 51.
Only twice did Bondra score more than 50 goals in a season — in 1995-96 and in 1997-98, when he scored 52.
“When you look around the league, there’s very few 30-goal scorers,” Capitals coach Barry Trotz said. “There’s a couple mid-20s, and he’s got 50. There’s [Tampa Bay’s Steven] Stamkos, and I think [the New York Rangers’ Rick] Nash at 40. It’s pretty special for him and for the group and part of history.”
Center Evgeny Kuznetsov skated through center ice before feeding Ovechkin, who took the pass at the top of the left faceoff circle. Ovechkin rifled the puck past Hurricanes defenseman Brett Bellemore, who appeared to screen Ward, and found the back of the net.
Coincidentally, Ovechkin later assisted on a third-period goal by right-wing Joel Ward, moving him into second place past center Michal Pivonka with 418 assists.
Joel Ward chided his linemates, noting that sharing the ice with Ovechkin and Kuznetsov, both Russians, the last two games has made communication difficult at times.
“Well, it’s working right now, so he doesn’t have to understand it,” Ovechkin joked.
• Zac Boyer can be reached at zboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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