At age 36, Washington Capitals scoring machine Alex Ovechkin is still…well…a scoring machine. In the Caps' first game of the 2021-22 NHL season, one where Ovechkin was questionable to play in days prior because of an injury he suffered in the preseason finale against the Philadelphia Flyers, the Russian superstar didn't just take the ice — he dominated the New York Rangers, as though to show he's to NHL what LeBron James is to the NBA: an aging veteran who can still turn on his apex predator mode.
Ovechkin was the best player for the Caps against the Rangers. Check that. He was the best player from either side in that game. According to Stats by STATS, Ovechkin was so incredible against New York that he managed to do something historical.
Alex Ovechkin of the @Capitals is the first NHL player to have a power-play goal, a shorthanded goal and an assist in a season opener (since PPG & SHG were first tracked in 1933-34).
Alex Ovechkin made his mark first by assisting on TJ Oshie's goal to open up the game's scoring. Then he went on to get his own goals. scoring twice to tie and surpass Hockey Hall of Famer Marcel Dionne for fifth place on the all-time NHL goals list.
Alex Ovechkin did all that even with his body not in optimal form, but great players do great things. Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette summed it all up nicely, per ESPN's Greg Wyshynski.
“That's not a perfect week for him to get ready to have an opening night. There were lots of question marks [about his health]. There were still question marks this morning,” said Capitals coach Peter Laviolette. “He jumped into the game and was a major factor in the game.”
The Great Eight is past his prime, but he can still be lethal on the ice. He is on a mission to be the league's all-time leader in goals, and while there's a long way to go for him before he breaks Wayne Gretzky's record, what he showed Wednesday night made it feel like he's actually on his way to topping The Great One.
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