Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals have a dwindling number of games remaining in the 2024-25 NHL schedule. Ovechkin netted his 33rd goal of the season in Washington’s 4-2 win over the Seattle Kraken on March 9. The 866th goal of Ovechkin’s career pulls him closer to Wayne Gretzky’s 894 regular-season goals record. The sprint to the finish of the Capitals’ NHL slate features 11 road games and seven home dates as they begin a three-game, West Coast road trip beginning in Anaheim on March 11.
With one three-game homestand left among the season’s final 18 games, Washington will bring “The Gr8 Chase” to various NHL cities over the next few weeks. Based on Ovechkin’s 0.69 goals-per-game-rate (G/PG) this season, the current projection is that Washington’s captain will break the record on April 10 at Capital One Arena against the Carolina Hurricanes (as of March 11, 2025). In this overview, we’ll take a look at how often Ovechkin scores against each remaining team he plays, the first goalie that he celebrated a goal against versus those franchises, as well as the most recent time Ovechkin skated first through the fist bump line at the Capitals bench after scoring for Washington.
Capitals Receive a Dose of California Sunshine
Washington will make its final road trip to the West Coast this season, a week-long journey through California, including stops in Anaheim, Los Angeles, and San Jose. “I don’t think it’s a bad thing, honestly, that we’re going out to California,” Carbery said during Sunday’s postgame interview. “Good opportunity to get away from home. Play three games out there. What I’ve learned with “O” (Ovechkin)… is it just takes one moment.”
Head coach Spencer Carbery’s full postgame media availability following Washington’s 4-2 win over Seattle.#CapsKraken pic.twitter.com/etqPkpvI6c
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 10, 2025
The first team to try to stop Ovechkin will be the Ducks on March 11. Ovechkin has scored nine goals in 13 road games (0.69 G/PG) against the Ducks. In January 2006, Ovechkin recorded his first career hat trick in a 3-2 shootout road win for Washington over Anaheim. Washington’s captain scored the 28th, 29th, and 30th goals of his rookie season against Ducks’ goalie J.S. Giguere. It has been six years since Ovechkin’s last goal in Anaheim. His 647th career goal was scored against Ryan Miller in a 5-2 Washington loss in February 2019.
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Two nights later, Washington visits the Los Angeles Kings on March 13 at Crypto.com Arena. Ovechkin has four goals in 14 visiting contests (0.29 G/PG) against the Kings. The 0.28 G/PG is the lowest of the teams the Russian winger faces this season. His first goal in Hollywood, the 456th of his career, occurred in February 2015 against Jonathan Quick, the first American-born goalie to 400 wins. Ovechkin’s most recent goal in L.A. was in March 2023 against Pheonix Copley. It was the 816th goal celebration for Ovechkin and his teammates.
On Thursday, March 13, Washington travels to San Jose for their final game of the West Coast trip. Ovechkin has scored seven times in 15 visits (0.47 G/PG) to the SAP Center over the last 20 years. His first goal in San Jose, his 245th career goal, was scored in December 2009 against Evgeni Nabokov. The most recent goal came in March 2023 against Kaapo Kahkonen for the 815th goal of his career.
Home Cooking for Capitals’ Last Homestand
Washington returns from California to host the Detroit Red Wings on March 18. Ovechkin has 11 goals in 17 home games (0.65 G/PG) against Detroit. The Russian forward scored his 18th career goal in December 2005 against Chris Osgood. It’s been three straight scoreless games against Detroit at Capital One Arena for Washington’s winger. Ovechkin’s last home goal against the Red Wings was in October 2021 against Thomas Greiss. It was the 738th goal of his career.
The Philadelphia Flyers skate into the Nation’s Capital on March 20 to try and slow down the NHL’s career leader in shots. Ovechkin has registered 23 goals in 37 home contests (0.62 G/PG) against Philadelphia. Antero Niittymaki was the goalie of record for Ovechkin’s 23rd career goal of his rookie season in a December 2005 shootout win for Washington. There was no goalie in the net for Ovechkin’s 855th career goal earlier this season against the Flyers.
The homestand ends with the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers on March 22. The nine-time NHL All-Star has scored 19 goals in 35 meetings (0.54 G/PG) against the Panthers at Capital One Arena. Ovechkin’s first two goals against Florida sailed past Ed Belfour in a Washington shootout loss in February 2007 for his 88th and 89th career goals. Like Philly, his most recent goal against the Panthers was into an empty net for his 878th regular season goal.
Four of Five on the Road for Capitals
Washington takes to the road for another spell, starting on March 25 against the Winnipeg Jets. The Capitals visit Minnesota before a one-game stop at home to battle Buffalo. Then, they embark on an awkward road trip that sees them play in Massachusetts and Carolina within a 24-hour time span to kickstart the month of April.
Ovechkin routinely feasted on the Jets franchise when they were based in Georgia as the Atlanta Thrashers. He scored 32 times in 37 road games against the Jets/Thrashers franchise (0.86 G/PG), including his 19th career goal in December 2005 against Michael Garnett. The 2005-06 Calder Trophy winner scored the 52nd and final goal of his rookie campaign against Atlanta in April 2006 against Mike Dunham. Ovechkin’s last game in Atlanta was in October 2009, when two Ovechkin shots beat Ondrej Pavelec for his 231st and 232nd career goals.
The Jets relocated to Winnipeg before the 2011-12 NHL season, the first relocation since the Hartford Whalers moved to Carolina in 1997. Ovechkin has eight goals in 16 games (0.50 G/PG) in Winnipeg since the Jets moved into the Canada Life Centre. In December 2011, Ovechkin scored against Pavelec for his 311th career tally. There was no goalie in the net for Ovechkin’s 797th career goal in November 2022, the most recent celebration against the Jets.
On March 27, Washington travels to Minnesota to battle the Wild at the Xcel Energy Center. Ovechkin has scored his highest G/PG rate against any remaining opponent, with 15 goals in 13 games (1.15 G/PG) against the Wild. With five multi-goal outings against Minnesota in his career, St. Paul could be Ovechkin’s favorite remaining destination on the goal-scoring tour. In February 2016, Ovechkin scored his 507th, 508th, and 509th career goals in a hat trick against Devan Dubnyk. A year later, Washington’s star repeated the feat against Dubnyk with his 556th, 557th, and 558th goals in March 2017. Ovechkin’s most recent goal celebrations in Minnesota were part of a two-goal outing against Marc-Andre Fleury in March 2023 for the winger’s 818th and 819th career goals.
The Capitals make a quick stop for home cooking before a game against the Buffalo Sabres on March 30. Ovechkin has registered 23 goals in 32 home dates (0.71 G/PG) against Buffalo over two decades. Ryan Miller was in the net for Ovechkin’s 43rd career goal of his rookie season in March 2006. Seventeen years later, Ovechkin sniped a shot past Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen for the 817th goal of his career in March 2023.
Washington heads north to Boston to open on April 1 against the Bruins. Boston has handled Washington’s star routinely well over the years, allowing 16 goals over 33 contests (0.48 G/PG). Ovechkin continued his electric rookie season with a goal against Boston’s Tim Thomas. It was the 49th of Ovechkin’s 52 goals in 2005-06. The net was vacant for Ovechkin’s 834th goal last season for the star’s most recent goal at TD Garden.
The next night, on April 2, Ovechkin travels to Raleigh, North Carolina, as Washington battles the Carolina Hurricanes. He has netted 31 goals in 45 games (0.69 G/PG) against the Hurricanes. The Capitals winger scored against Cam Ward in October 2005 for the fourth goal in his inaugural NHL campaign and his first goal in a visiting NHL building. Carolina’s Pyotr Kochetkov allowed the 860th career goal to Ovechkin last season.
East Coast Vibes in Early April
A clash between first-overall draft picks occurs on April 4 as Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks visit Washington. Ovechkin has eight goals in 12 games (0.66 G/PG) against Chicago at Capital One Arena. The 26th goal of his rookie season was scored against Adam Munro in January 2006. Ovechkin slipped a puck past Anton Khudobin for his 821st career goal in a Washington victory in March 2023.
Long Island is next to attempt to stop the Ovechkin goal tour on April 6 at UBS Arena for Washington and the New York Islanders. The generational scoring winger has 27 goals in 37 career games (0.73 G/PG) against the Islanders, including his 67th career goal in November 2006 against Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro. Ovechkin scored a hat-trick in his final appearance at the Nassau Coliseum in January 2020 for his 690th, 691st, and 692nd career goals. His most recent goal, the 826th of his career, was scored into an empty net in a November 2023 victory for the Capitals. The Islanders host the Capitals for the second time in less than 10 days at UBS Arena on April 15 to start a two-game, regular-season-ending road trip for Washington.
Washington’s second-to-last home game brings Carolina to Capital One Arena on April 10. Ovechkin has scored 20 goals in 46 home games (0.43 G/PG) against the Hurricanes over 20 seasons. In October 2006, Ovechkin scored twice against Carolina’s Ward for his first two goals of his sophomore NHL season, his 53rd and 54th career goals. The most recent Ovechkin goal against the Hurricanes, the 846th goal of his career, was scored on Kochetkov last March.
Washington Faces Road Tests to Finish the Season
Washington’s final chapter of the 2024-25 regular season begins with a two-day home-and-home series with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Columbus will host Washington for an April 12 afternoon clash at Nationwide Arena. Over his career, Ovechkin has 13 goals in 23 road games (0.56 G/PG) against the Blue Jackets. The 142nd and 143rd goals of Ovechkin’s career were scored against two goalies, Pascal Leclaire and Fredrik Norrena, in a February 2008 Washington win. Blue Jackets’ goalie Elvis Merzlikins was protecting the net in December 2023 when Ovechkin notched his 828th career goal, his most recent celebration against the Blue Jackets.
Both teams travel to Washington for the rematch the next day, April 13, for the Capitals’ final home game of the season. Washington’s captain has scored 26 goals in 26 home games (1.00 G/PG) against Columbus. Ovechkin posted his 1st and 2nd career goals (against Leclaire) in the Capitals’ home opener against the Blue Jackets in October 2005. Ovechkin’s most recent tally against Columbus, the 859th of his career, was scored against Daniil Tarasov earlier this season.
Following a road contest on Long Island on April 15, Washington closes out the regular season in Pittsburgh on April 17. Ovechkin has scored 25 goals in 39 games (0.64 G/PG) against the Penguins, including the 34th goal of his rookie campaign. In January 2006, Ovechkin scored against Fleury, Pittsburgh’s top draft choice in the 2003 NHL Draft. Ovechkin’s last goal against the Penguins was scored last spring against Tristan Jarry for his 840th career goal.
At the impressive rate that Ovechkin has scored in the 2024-25 regular season, one of these locations is expected to experience Ovechkin accomplishing NHL history over the next six weeks. Leave a comment on which game and goalie you think the 2018 Stanley Cup champion will score his 895th regular-season goal to set a new NHL record.
