Alex Ovechkin is still a human wrecking ball at 40 years old.
During the second period of Saturday’s game against the New York Islanders, the Capitals captain bowled over opposing centerman Casey Cizikas while gliding in the offensive zone to swipe at a loose puck in front of Ilya Sorokin’s net on the power play.
Cizikas, 34, had his back turned to the lurking Ovechkin and got caught puck watching as he pivoted to his left directly into the Russian’s six-foot-three, 238-pound frame.
“Here it is down low and there he is, run over by a Mack truck, no. 8 over no. 53,” Monumental Sports color commentator Craig Laughlin said of the hit during a replay.
Ovechkin fanned on the shot and — despite follow-up efforts from his teammates on the man advantage — the puck was safely covered up by Sorokin in his crease.
The Capitals defeated the Islanders 4-2 with Ovechkin logging an assist — his first point of the 2025-26 campaign — and two hits in 17:28 of ice time on Saturday. His helper on defenseman Martin Fehervary’s first-period goal allowed him to pass Hockey Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux for seventh-most road points all-time (784).
With an assist on the Capitals’ first goal, Alex Ovechkin has passed Mario Lemieux (784) for the seventh-most road points in NHL history.
— Capitals PR (@CapitalsPR) October 11, 2025
Ovechkin’s updated total of 3,747 career hits trails only retired NHLers Matt Martin (3,936) and Cal Clutterbuck (4,029), both former Islanders, for the all-time lead since the NHL began tracking hits in 2005-06.