WASHINGTON — Alex Ovechkin hasn’t had a better stretch of games in his 15-season career than the one he’s on right now.
The Capitals captain pulled within two goals of 700 for his career after his third period hat trick led the Caps to a 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night.
In Ovi’s last 7 games, he’s scored 14 goals, netted 3 hat tricks, and passed four Hall-of-Famers in the NHL’s all-time goal scoring list.
Alex Ovechkin’s recent hot streak hasn’t given the Capitals’ captain time to reflect on his push toward 700 goals.
“Not yet, I’m still playing,” Ovechkin told reporters when asked if he ever amazes himself. “But right after career, yeah. I’m pretty sure me, my family, and my friends are going to talk about it. But now personally I don’t try to concentrate about it. I just go out there and do my job.”
Those around Ovi, definitely are amazed at the Great 8.
“He’s probably one of the greatest to ever play,” says Tom Wilson. “It’s pretty cool to have a front-row seat to watch it go down. It seems like he hits a milestone every couple games. They don’t make them like they made him anymore. There’s no player like him, and I don’t think there ever will be [another one]. It’s pretty cool to watch it unveil, to watch him dominate.”
“I hope he appreciates it, because it’s amazing what he’s done in this league this far,” adds T.J. Oshie. “We’re looking forward to how far he’s going to go.”
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Nobody has had a better view of Ovechkin’s career than Joe Beninati.
The Capitals play-by-play man for NBC Sports Washington has been calling Capitals games since 1994, and has called the majority of Alex Ovechkin’s games in the NHL.
The TV voice of the Capitals is starting to run out of superlatives for Alex Ovechkin.
“I’ve seen this player from his late teenage years, and now into his mid-thirties,” says Beninati. “I’m still blown away and every day he challenges my powers of description with what he does on the ice.”