The NHL’s all-time goals leader, Alex Ovechkin, extended his lead to 22 over second-place Wayne Gretzky after scoring against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday.
Ovechkin notched the 916th goal of his career, with 6:27 remaining in the game, to put a cap on the Washington Capitals’ 5-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. The goal marked Ovi’s 19th of the season.
The play was all made possible by defenseman Martin Fehervary, who intercepted a pass and took a hit to make a play. Fehervary crashed into the boards, but moved the puck ahead to Ovechkin, striding in neutral. The Capitals captain then skated down, looked off Aliaksei Protas, and beat Blackhawks goaltender Drew Commesso to the far side of the net.
The goal marked Ovechkin’s fourth goal in the last three games and put him one goal shy of his 21st career 20-goal season. Ovechkin is now on pace for a 35-goal season at age 40.
Notably, the goal made Commesso the 187th different goaltender Ovechkin has scored on in his career. Commesso, normally the starter in the AHL for the Rockford IceHogs, was pressed into duty after both of the Blackhawks goaltenders, including penciled-in starter Spencer Knight, were unable to play due to a flu bug ravaging Chicago’s locker room.
Commesso was backed up by an emergency goaltender, beer leaguer and banker, Dave Nozzolillo.