January and February are in the books in or look back at “The Ovechkin Calendar,” how Alex Ovechkin’s goal scoring has broken down by month through the years. Now, we are up to March.
March by the Numbers
March is a month in which teams are starting their stretch run for the playoffs and, in many cases, welcoming new players after the trading deadline. One constant, though. It is a month in which Alex Ovechkin scores a lot of goals. Here are some of the most noteworthy facts and numbers with respect to his goal-scoring performance:
The Highlight Game
If scoring goals on one-timers from the left wing faceoff circle – his “Office” – has become the signature method of goal scoring in Alex Ovechkin’s career, the underrated method is sheer grit. It was on display in a mid-March game in 2018 against the Winnipeg Jets. The Jets came to Washington on a roll, going 9-3-0 in their most recent dozen games. Meanwhile, the Caps were meandering through their own schedule, going 10-9-4 in 23 games leading up to their matchup with the Jets on March 12th.
Ovechkin opened the scoring in the fifth minute of the game on a power play, bringing him to within a goal of 600 for his career. Winnipeg tied the game less than a minute later on a Nikolai Ehlers goal, and that is how the teams went to the second period. The stage was set for history to be made.
In the fourth minute of the period, with the puck being fought over in the right wing corner, Ovechkin stepped around defenseman Dustin Byfuglien to the right of goalie Connor Hellebuyck. As the puck made its way to Ovechkin’s side of the ice, he battled Byfuglien for position off the post. A shot by Matt Niskanen from the left wing boards pinballed among players at the top of the crease. Ovechkin shoved Byfuglien toward the net to open some space, just as the puck was sliding toward him. Ovechkin got a whack at the puck, but Hellebuyck dove to block it. Ovechkin got another whack, but the prone Hellebuyck got his glove on it. The third time was the charm, though, Ovechkin chipping the puck over Hellebuyck and into the back of the net to score his 600th career goal in his 990th career game, the fourth-fastest player in NHL history to 600 goals.
Winnipeg tied the game in the third period on a Patrik Laine goal, but the Caps made the historic night a happy one in the end when in overtime, Evgeny Kuznetsov scored on a breakaway in the final minute to give the Caps a 3-2 win on Alex Ovechkin’s 600th-goal night.