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Ice Hockey

Alex Ovechkin Becomes Third NHL Player with 20 Goals in 19 Consecutive Seasons

Alex Ovechkin has been pushing boundaries in the NHL for two decades, and he’s showing no signs of stopping. The Washington Capitals captain scored his 20th goal this season against the Calgary Flames, becoming the third player in NHL history to reach the 20-goal mark in 19 consecutive seasons. The Capitals were on fire against the Flames on Monday night, and their epic 5-2 win would’ve been impossible without Ovechkin. He scored his 20th and 21st goals this season against Calgary, while Dylan Strome, Hendrix Lapierre, and Tom Wilson all added one more. The 38-year-old Ovechkin now joins Gordie Howe and Brendan Shanahan as the only players in NHL history to hit 20 goals in 19 consecutive seasons. Shanahan also crossed the 20-goal mark in 19 consecutive campaigns, while Howe holds the all-time record with 22 consecutive seasons. Washington's head coach Spencer Carbery praised Ovechkin’s consistency after the match, saying he's proven himself “not just from the scoring part but also him being in the lineup and being durable and him being able to play game after game after game all these years.” Ovechkin set many NHL records since joining the Washington Capitals in 2005, including most power-play goals, most goals in away games, most overtime goals, and most goals with the same team in NHL history. He holds the second spot on the all-time NHL scoring table, only second to Wayne Gretzky.