Capitals' Alex Ovechkin scores 1,000th NHL point
Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin became the 84th NHL player to rack up 1,000 points with a goal 35 seconds into the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday night.
Ovechkin, 30, now has (545) goals and (455) assists in 880 NHL games, all with the Capitals. He's the second-fastest active player to hit the mark, behind only Jaromir Jagr, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
He's now tied for fifth in goals on the season with 20, six behind Penguins forward Sidney Crosby for the NHL lead.
In the 2015-16 season, the Capitals' captain became the fifth-fastest player to crack the 500-goal milestone. On Wednesday, he tied Hall of Fame forward Maurice Richard with his 544th goal, good for 29th all-time, a third among active players, trailing Jagr's 756 and Jarome Iginla's 616. He's also tied with Jagr for tops in career overtime goals with 19.
As the achievements continue to rack up for the seven-time NHL All-Star, who signed the NHL's first nine-digit contract with a 13-year, $124 million deal in 2008, Ovechkin hasn't forgotten his NHL beginnings.
''I remember my first year, my first game, like it was five minutes ago,'' Ovechkin told The Canadian Press. ''Time move forward and time move quick, so you just have to enjoy every second and every moment and when you have an opportunity, try to do something special.''