6:33 – The amount of time needed for Alex Ovechkin to score his first, second, and third goals of the year last night, as the captain’s third-period offensive outburst helped propel the Capitals to a season-opening shootout victory.
Per Elias, that was just the third time he’s scored three goals in a single period, tying him with Evgeni Malkin and Henrik Zetterberg for the most one-period hat tricks among current NHL players.
The hat trick was the 18th of Ovechkin’s career (his first in an opener), most among active players, and the seventh of those 18 that consisted entirely of even-strength goals. He now sits just one behind Peter Bondra for the franchise record.