Alex Ovechkin, the NHL‘s all-time leading goal scorer with 897 goals, recently revealed his three favorite goals, notably leaving out his record-breaking 895th goal that surpassed Wayne Gretzky’s long-standing mark of 894 in April. Speaking on Match TV on Monday, Ovechkin reflected on goals that hold special meaning beyond their historic significance, offering insight into the moments that shaped his career.
His first selected goal came during the 2006 Winter Olympics quarterfinals, where Russia defeated Canada 2-0. Ovechkin scored on a power play in the second period against a tough Canadian team, marking an important victory on the international stage. Ovechkin said,
“The first was at the 2006 Olympics, when we beat Canada.”
—Alex Ovechkin
Rookie Season Highlight and Stanley Cup Triumph
The second favorite goal Ovechkin named dates back to his rookie NHL season in 2006. It was a spectacular behind-the-back shot scored while falling and twisting on the ice against the Phoenix Coyotes, then coached by Wayne Gretzky.
“The second was my rookie season,”
Ovi said.
“When I scored a behind-the-back shot against Phoenix,”
he explained.—Alex Ovechkin
His third pick came from the 2018 Stanley Cup Final. In Game 5 against the Vegas Golden Knights, Ovechkin scored a pivotal goal that gave the Washington Capitals a 2-1 lead, leading them to their first-ever Stanley Cup victory. Ovechkin recalled,
“The third was the Stanley Cup final (in 2018). When I scored in the fifth game of the series against Vegas.”
—Alex Ovechkin
Ovechkin’s Ongoing Legacy and Personal Gestures
In addition to sharing his favorite moments on the ice, Ovechkin recently showed his appreciation for his teammates and support staff by gifting them custom Hublot watches after breaking Gretzky’s goal record. This gesture, revealed in an interview by teammate Lars Eller, was a token of gratitude for their role in his success.
Meanwhile, the NHL is preparing a documentary centered on Ovechkin’s career, which will limit his ability to give exclusive interviews in Russia this summer. Despite already surpassing Gretzky’s regular-season goal total, Ovechkin remains close to another significant milestone—the combined total of 1,016 NHL goals scored in both regular season and playoffs, with 974 so far.
Last season, Ovechkin tallied 44 goals and 29 assists, while Sidney Crosby scored 91 points, matching Ovechkin’s two-decade-long presence in the league.