Washington Capitals: Top 25 goals of all-time

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Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

#23 Alex Ovechkin 802

Twas the night before Christmas Eve fans gathered inside Capital One Arena for one final game before the holiday break. This was also Alex Ovechkin’s last good chance to do it in front of the home fans. All he needed going into that night’s game against the Winnipeg Jets was two goals to pass Gordie Howe for second place all time in NHL scoring.

The Capitals would go on to win the game 4-1. Ovechkin’s first goal would be number 801 to tie Howe and it came toward the end of the first period.

The second goal came on an empty net and almost didn’t happen as Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov played hot potato with the puck before Ovechkin finally fired it in to the delight of the home crowd.

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Ovechkin told Tarik El Bashir of The Athletic (subscription required):

"“You never thought it’s going to happen when you came into the league, you’re going to beat any Gordie Howe record or Wayne Gretzky record or any record. You felt like, OK, maybe you’re going to play in the NHL, you’re going to be good and you’re going to try to do your best. But the whole situation happening right now, it’s a miracle.”"

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