Alex Ovechkin continues to redefine what it means to be a hockey legend. Thursday night saw the Washington Capitals' captain deliver yet another masterclass, scoring a hat trick against the Utah Mammoth. This marks the 34th time Ovechkin has achieved such a feat, surpassing the great Brett Hull for the fourth-most in NHL history.
The Mammoth became the 21st team to fall victim to an Ovechkin hat trick, setting a new league record. And let’s not overlook his 71st empty-net goal, another record in his storied career. At 40, Ovechkin is still going strong with 29 goals and 56 points in 73 games this season.
His performance was pivotal in Washington’s 7-4 victory in Salt Lake City, snapping a two-game losing streak for the Capitals. Ovechkin now sits just behind the late Mike Bossy (39) for the third-most hat tricks, with only Mario Lemieux (40) and Wayne Gretzky (50) ahead.
This isn’t the only milestone Ovechkin has hit recently. Earlier this week, he scored his 1,000th NHL goal, combining regular-season and postseason, joining Gretzky as the only players to reach that milestone.
Ovechkin’s career is a testament to his extraordinary talent and determination. He led the Capitals to their first Stanley Cup in 2018 and last season surpassed Gretzky as the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer. With 1,679 points in 1,564 games, his trophy cabinet includes three Hart Trophies, three Ted Lindsay Awards, an Art Ross Trophy, a Calder Trophy, a Conn Smythe Trophy, and a record nine Rocket Richard Trophies.
Ovechkin’s legacy is cemented, yet he continues to thrill fans and rewrite the history books, proving that age is just a number when it comes to greatness on the ice.