On Sunday, Alex Ovechkin recorded his 895th regular season goal in a 4-1 loss to the New York Islanders that generally wouldn’t make any headlines in a Philly-based publication. However, that goal allowed Ovechkin to pass Wayne Gretzky’s 894 goals to set a new scoring champion in NHL history.
The Philadelphia Flyers are among the teams that have watched Washington’s captain lead the fist-bump parade at the Capitals’ bench following a goal.
In 78 games against Philly, Ovechkin scored 52 times against Flyers goalies, representing a 5.8% share of his goal-scoring in the NHL. While Washington’s Captain has scored an equal 52 times against the Carolina Hurricanes, he has played that team more frequently over the years, leading to a diminished 5.6% mark per contest over 92 games. Both teams trail the Winnipeg Jets/Atlanta Thrashers franchise, which has allowed 57 goals in 75 contests to Ovechkin for a league-high 6.3% rate. As the league celebrates Ovechkin’s milestone, let’s review his performance against the Flyers during “The Gr8 Chase” of Gretzky’s record.
Ovechkin Excelled on the Road Against the Flyers
Whether the game has been in the current National Capital of Washington, D.C., or the previous U.S. Capital of Philadelphia, PA, Ovechkin has scored at a reasonably equal rate against the Flyers. Washington’s leading scorer has netted 24 goals in 38 home games at Capital One Arena for a 0.63 goals-per-game rate. In 40 visits to Philly over the last two decades, Ovechkin has disappointed the crowd with 28 goals for a 0.70 goals-per-game rate at Wells Fargo Center.
New Year’s Eve First for Ovechkin vs. Philly in 2005
Oveckin’s first regular season goal against the Flyers occurred on New Year’s Eve 2006 against Antero Nittymaki. Ovechkin tied the game on the powerplay at 7:38 of the middle frame to register his first goal against the Flyers during his rookie campaign. It was the 23rd goal of the season. Washington won the pre-holiday contest, 4-3, in a shootout. Ovechkin finished the season with three goals against the Flyers during his rookie year. Washington’s forward ended with 52 goals and claimed the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s Rookie of the Year.
Goal No. 888 scored against the Flyers in Late March
A little over two weeks ago, Philadelphia traveled to Washington for a matchup on March 20, a 3-2 defeat in Washington that allowed the Capitals to clinch a playoff spot. Ovechkin scored a first-period goal against Sam Ersson for his 35th this season and the 888th tally of his career.
Ersson has plenty of company, as Ovechkin scored on 183 different NHL goaltenders. Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders became the answer to the trivia question by allowing Ovechkin’s record-setting 895th NHL goal on Sunday. The Islanders netminder had not allowed a goal to Washington’s superstar in three previous meetings.
A Highlight Reel Goals Against Brian Boucher
One of Ovechkin’s most impressive goals occurred in Jan 2006 against goaltender Brian Boucher while the goalie covered the crease in Phoenix, Arizona. Boucher, currently a rinkside reporter for TNT and the Flyers color commentator on NBCSN broadcasts, was in the building for the national broadcast to watch Ovechkin score his milestone goal on Sunday. However, there was certainly talk about “the goal” in 2006.
On this day in 2006, Alex Ovechkin (@ovi8) wowed the hockey world with "The Goal".
— NHL (@NHL) January 16, 2021
LOVE. TO. SEE. IT. pic.twitter.com/mep1gdctyz
In the third period, Ovechkin scored an improbable goal past Boucher while corkscrewing his way to the ice. As he was tumbling, Ovechkin shuffled the puck towards the net while on his pack and watched as the frozen bit of rubber slid gracefully into the back of the net. “The goal Alex Ovechkin scored on me in Phoenix was sensational,” Boucher said. “It was just a goal that you couldn’t believe it was humanly possible for him to pull off.” Washington’s captain scored twice in that Jan. 2006 contest for his only two goals against the former Flyers rookie.
Ovechkin’s First Playoff Goal Occured vs. Flyers in 2008
While it doesn’t count in the NHL regular season goal-scoring record that future generations of NHLers will chase, Ovechkin scored his first playoff goal against the Flyers on April 11, 2008. Martin Biron was the goalie of record in Game 1 of the 2008 NHL Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.
With under five minutes to play in regulation of a tie game, the Flyers’ defense fumbled an outlet pass that led to Ovechkin securing a loose puck before depositing the black rubber disc behind the Biron for a 5-4 Capitals win. Philadelphia won that highly competitive seven-game series against Washington on a Joffrey Lupel overtime goal. Daniel Briere, the current Flyers General Manager, scored 11 points in seven games to power the offense.
Over two decades, Ovechkin has scored seven times against Philly. His most recent playoff goal came nearly 10 years ago as part of a two-goal effort in Game 3 of the Eastern First Round in April 2016. Washington eliminated Philadelphia from the postseason in six games.
Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
