Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin celebrates after scoring his 800th career NHL goal. Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports

Watch: Alex Ovechkin scores 800th NHL goal to complete hat trick against Chicago

Originally posted on Daily Faceoff | By Mike Gould | Last updated 12/13/22

Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin scored the 800th goal of his illustrious National Hockey League career. In the process, he completed a hat trick against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night.

Ovechkin, 37, scored goals No. 798 and 799 in the first period at United Center on Tuesday before tallying No. 800 at the 6:34 mark of the third period. He scored all three goals against Blackhawks goaltender Petr Mrazek.

Evgeny Kuznetsov and Anthony Mantha picked up the helpers on the milestone goal. Ovechkin became the third player in NHL history to score 800 career goals, joining Wayne Gretzky (892) and Gordie Howe (801).

Ovechkin also reached the 20-goal plateau on the season with his third goal of the game. The 6-foot-3 winger has now scored at least 20 goals in each of his first 18 NHL seasons.

#Gr800

IT'S HISTORY, BABES! pic.twitter.com/ENTC23b2E4
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 14, 2022

Ovechkin’s first goal on Tuesday gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead just 24 seconds into the game. With the goal, he broke Jaromir Jagr’s record (135) for most game-opening goals in NHL history.

Under contract with the Capitals through the end of the 2025-26 season, Ovechkin is now just 94 goals shy of tying Gretzky’s all-time NHL record.

Ovechkin has scored at least 30 goals in all but one of his NHL seasons, with the lone exception being the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 campaign. The 2004 No. 1 pick has recorded nine 50-goal seasons and won the Stanley Cup with the Capitals in 2018.

The Capitals currently beat the Blackhawks, 7-2. Ovechkin has four points on the evening and 34 points (20 goals, 14 assists) in 31 games this season.

Through 1,305 NHL games with Washington since the start of the 2005-06 season, Ovechkin has scored 800 goals and 1,444 points. He’s added 72 goals and 141 points in 147 career playoff contests.

This article first appeared on Daily Faceoff and was syndicated with permission.

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