Alex Ovechkin set an NHL record by scoring against his 179th different goaltender, passing Jaromir Jagr’s previous mark. The Washington Capitals captain achieved the milestone in a 1-0 overtime victory against the Ottawa Senators.
The record-breaking goal came against Senators goaltender Leevi Merilainen, who was appearing in just his 10th NHL game.
Ovechkin’s game-winner was his 874th career goal in 1,455 games. He now sits 21 goals away from surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record of 894.
Most Goals Against Single Goaltender
According to Capitals PR, Ovechkin has found the most success against Marc-Andre Fleury, scoring 28 times against the longtime Pittsburgh Penguins netminder.
The top goalies Ovechkin has scored against:
- Marc-Andre Fleury – 28 goals
- Henrik Lundqvist – 24 goals
- Kari Lehtonen – 22 goals
- Carey Price – 22 goals
- Cam Ward – 19 goals
- Ryan Miller – 19 goals
The Senators have been a frequent victim of Ovechkin’s scoring prowess. His 37 goals in 58 games against Ottawa ranks second only to Jagr’s 44 goals in 79 games for most by any player against the franchise.
874.
ALEX OVECHKIN IS 21 GOALS AWAY FROM WAYNE GRETZKY’S RECORD! pic.twitter.com/v6IE9z0FWX
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 17, 2025
