Watch: Capitals' Alex Ovechkin logs 31st career hat trick

It was Ovechkin's first hat trick of the season and his first since March 14, 2023, roughly a year and a half ago. He also became the 12th player all-time to score a hat trick at age 39 or older.

His 31 hat tricks rank him sixth all-time, trailing a mountainous Gretzky record not even he can break (50).

Ovechkin provided fans with a vintage moment in the second period when he ripped the puck past goaltender Ilya Samsonov on a two-on-one rush, putting Washington up 4-2.

Ovechkin also victimized Samsonov in the first period and added him to his list of 177 different goalies he's scored on in his 20 seasons.

He's now scored 13 goals in 17 games played (0.76 goals per game) and is on pace for 62 markers this year, a feat he's only accomplished once in his career (65 in 2007-08).

With Ovechkin scoring his 864th, 865th and 866th career goals Sunday, he is now just 29 more from passing Gretzky for most all-time (894).