Alex Ovechkin brings the heat in ridiculous hat trick

As Alex Ovechkin headed to the locker room, his Washington Capitals teammates showered him with Bud Light beer. It was a historical night as the great eight entered the night with 797 goals, needing a hat trick to reach the 800 mark. He did exactly that.

His first goal came 24 seconds into the game. His second came on the power play at 8:14. That was just the opening period. In the third period he broke through at 6:34 as hats rained down onto the ice.

He’s now one goal away from tying Gordie Howe and two from passing him as the Caps head home for three straight games, giving their passionate fans a chance at witnessing history live in person.

Ovechkin told the media after the game, “It is a big number. The best company ever can imagine since you start playing hockey to be in that category… 800.”

Anthony Mantha had the set up on the 800th goal. He talks about the play:

“I saw someone coming backdoor with a right-handed stick and you don’t assume it’s Ovi, just because we’re not playing together, but it was right after the [line] change and he ended up putting it in the back of the net.”

Ovechkin became the third player to reach 800 and the second fastest player to reach the mark. They were his 18th, 19th, and 20th goals of the season. It took Wayne Gretzky 1,116 games to reach the mark. For Ovechkin, it was his 1,305th career game.

Ovechkin went from 700 to 800 goals in 162 games, the fewest games required to make that leap for any member of the 800 goal club. It is tied for the third fewest games Ovechkin has required to go from one 100 goal milestone to another in his career.

Ovechkin’s 100 goals in 162 games equates to a 0.62 goals per game average which is just slightly higher than his overall career average of 0.61 goals per game.

Ovechkin could pass Howe for second all time tomorrow night against the Dallas Stars with two goals. It will certainly be an electric crowd on hand.