Caps’ Alex Ovechkin ties Mike Gartner’s NHL record for most 30-goal seasons

By Matt Weyrich
January 14, 2023 | 7:46 PM

Ovechkin ties Gartner’s NHL record for most 30-goal seasons originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

WASHINGTON — With a first-period goal against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday, Alex Ovechkin scored his 30th goal of the season to mark the 17th time in 18 years he’s reached the number. He tied longtime Capitals forward Mike Gartner for the most such seasons in NHL history.

Ovechkin achieved the feat in just 45 games, the fastest he’s reached the 30-goal mark since doing it in 42 to begin the 2018-19 season. The 37-year-old is the eldest player to score 30 or more goals in a single campaign since Martin St. Louis scored 30 in 2013-14 with the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Rangers also at 37.

The season is only a little over halfway through but it’s already been one full of history for Ovechkin, who has set NHL records for the most road goals and goals with one team while moving into second place on the all-time list with 810 and counting. His tally Sunday also marked the 400th of his career at home, breaking a tie with Gartner for the fourth most ever.

Gartner played 19 NHL seasons including 10 with the Capitals from 1979-89. Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001, he compiled nine of his 30-goal seasons in Washington before being traded to the Minnesota North Stars at the deadline in 1989. Gartner’s 397 career goals with the Capitals rank third in team history behind Ovechkin and Peter Bondra.

RELATED: Alex Ovechkin named Capitals’ 2023 All-Star representative

On pace for about 55 goals this season — a number he hasn’t eclipsed since scoring 56 in 2008-09 — Ovechkin has a chance to shatter Gordie Howe’s record of 44 goals for the most scored by a player in his age-37 season or later.

Watch the Washington Capitals on NBC Sports Washington

By NBC Sports Washington Staff
April 13, 2023 | 10:00 PM

Watch Capitals' season finale vs. Devils on NBCSW originally appeared on NBC Sports WashingtonThe Washington Capitals are back on NBC Sports Washington for the 2022-23 season.Don't miss the Caps' quest for a second Stanley Cup championship and Alex Ovechkin's historic chase of Wayne Gretzky. Head coach Peter Laviolette is in his third season at the helm with high expectations where he finally has a bonafide No. 1 goalie in reigning Stanley Cup champion Darcy Kuemper. Can Washington get over the hump for a second time?All season long you can catch games, pregame and postgame coverage with the top insight from those who know the team best. Play-by-play Joe Beninati and color commentator Craig Laughlin are in the booth for their 26th year together of calling Capitals hockey.NBC Sports Washington will also surround all games with live gameday programs Capitals Pregame Live and Capitals Postgame Live. Capitals Pregame Live will be broadcast 30 minutes prior to the scheduled game start. Alexa Landestoy will host a talented and accomplished crew of analysts and insiders, including Alan May, Al Koken and Brent Johnson.NEXT CAPITALS GAME ON NBCSWWhat: Washington Capitals vs. New Jersey DevilsWhere: Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.When: Thursday, April 13, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. ETTV Channel: Capitals vs. Devils will be broadcast on NBC Sports Washington. Find your channel here.Live Stream: You can live stream Capitals vs. Devils on NBC Sports Washington's live stream page and on the NBC Sports App.LATEST CAPITALS HEADLINESCapitals' season ends with overtime loss to DevilsWhen is the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs?Lindgren exits with injury as Capitals fall to BruinsCapitals play spoiler, sprint past Islanders to snap skidCaps’ Carlson nominated for Bill Masterton Memorial TrophyCAPITALS GAMEDAY COVERAGE SCHEDULECapitals Pregame Live: 30 minutes prior to the scheduled startCapitals GameCapitals Postgame Live: 30 minutes to an hour following the final hornFULL CAPITALS SCHEDULE:PreseasonSun. Sept 25: Sabres 4, Capitals 3 (OT)Wed. Sept 28: Capitals 3, Flyers 1Fri. Sept 30: Capitals 2, Red Wings 0Sat. Oct 1: Blue Jackets 2, Capitals 1Wed. Oct 5: Capitals 4, Red Wings 2Sat. Oct 8: Capitals 4, Blue Jackets 3Regular SeasonWed. Oct 12: Bruins 5, Capitals 2 (0-1-0)Thu. Oct 13: Maple Leafs 3, Capitals 2 (0-2-0)Sat. Oct 15: Capitals 3, Canadiens 1 (1-2-0)Mon. Oct 17: Capitals 6, Canucks 4 (2-2-0)Thu. Oct 20: Senators 5, Capitals 2 (2-3-0)Sat. Oct 22: Capitals 4, Kings 3 (3-3-0)Mon. Oct 24: Capitals 6, Devils 3 (4-3-0)Thu. Oct 27: Stars 2, Capitals 0 (4-4-0)Sat. Oct 29: Capitals 3, Predators 0 (5-4-0)Mon. Oct 31: Hurricanes 3, Capitals 2 (SO) (5-4-1)Tue. Nov 1: Golden Knights 3, Capitals 2 (OT) (5-4-2)Thu. Nov 3: Red Wings 3, Capitals 1 (5-5-2)Sat. Nov 5: Coyotes 3, Capitals 2 (5-6-2)Mon. Nov 7: Capitals 5, Oilers 4 (6-6-2)Wed. Nov 9: Penguins 4, Capitals 1 (6-7-2)Fri. Nov 11: Capitals 5, Lightning 1 (7-7-2)Sun. Nov 13: Lighting 6, Capitals 3 (7-8-2)Tue. Nov 15: Panthers 5, Capitals 2 (7-9-2)Thu. Nov 17: Blues 5, Capitals 4 (SO) (7-9-3)Sat. Nov 19: Avalanche 4, Capitals 0 (7-10-3)Wed. Nov 23: Capitals 3, Flyers 2 (OT) (8-10-3)Fri. Nov 25: Capitals 3, Flames 0 (9-10-3)Sat. Nov 26: Devils 5, Capitals 1 (9-11-3)Tue. Nov 29: Capitals 5, Canucks 1 (10-11-3)Thu. Dec 1: Kraken 3, Capitals 2 (OT) (10-11-4)Sat. Dec 3: Flames 5, Capitals 2 (10-12-4)Mon. Dec 5: Capitals 3, Oilers 2 (11-12-4)Wed. Dec 7: Capitals 4, Flyers 1 (12-12-4)Fri. Dec 9: Capitals 4, Kraken 1 (13-12-4)Sun. Dec 11: Capitals 5, Jets 2 (14-12-4)Tue. Dec 13: Capitals 7, Blackhawks 3 (15-12-4)Thu. Dec 15: Stars 2, Capitals 1 (15-13-4)Sat. Dec 17: Capitals 5, Maple Leafs 2 (16-13-4)Mon. Dec 19: Capitals 4, Red Wings 3 (OT) (17-13-4)Thu. Dec 22: Capitals 3, Senators 2 (OT) (18-13-4)Fri. Dec 23: Capitals 4, Winnipeg Jets 1 (19-13-4)Tue. Dec 27: Capitals 4, Rangers 0 (20-13-4)Thu. Dec 29: Senators 4, Capitals 3 (OT) (20-13-5)Sat. Dec 31: Capitals 9, Canadiens 2 (21-13-5)Tue. Jan 3: Sabres 5, Capitals 4 (OT) (21-13-6)Thu. Jan 5: Capitals 6, Blue Jackets (22-13-6)Fri. Jan 6: Predators 3, Capitals 2 (22-14-6)Sun. Jan 8: Capitals 1, Blue Jackets 0 (23-14-6)Wed. Jan 11: Flyers 5, Capitals 3 (23-15-6)Sat. Jan 14: Flyers 3, Capitals 1 (23-16-6)Mon. Jan 16: Capitals 4, Islanders 3 (OT) (24-16-6)Tue. Jan 17: Wild 4, Capitals 2 (24-17-6)Thu. Jan 19: Capitals 4, Coyotes 0 (25-17-6)Sat. Jan 21: Golden Knights 6, Capitals 2 (25-18-6)Tue. Jan 24: Avalanche 3, Capitals 2 (25-19-6)Thu. Jan 26: Capitals 3, Penguins 2 (S/O) (26-19-6)Sun. Jan 29: Maple Leafs 5, Capitals 1 (26-20-6)Tue. Jan 31: Capitals 4, Blue Jackets 3 (OT) (27-20-6)Sat. Feb 11: Capitals 2, Bruins 1 (28-20-6)Sun. Feb 12: Sharks 4, Capitals 1 (28-21-6)Tue. Feb 14: Hurricanes 3, Capitals 2 (28-22-6)Thu. Feb 16: Panthers 6, Capitals 3 (28-23-6)Sat. Feb 18: Hurricanes 4, Capitals 1 (28-24-6)Tue. Feb 21: Red Wings 3, Capitals 1 (28-25-6)Thu. Feb 23: Ducks 4, Capitals 2 (28-26-6)Sat. Feb 25: Capitals 6, Rangers 3 (29-26-6)Sun. Feb 26: Sabres 7, Capitals 4 (29-27-6)Wed. Mar 1: Capitals 3, Ducks 2 (OT) (30-27-6)Sat. Mar 4: Capitals 8, Sharks 3 (31-27-6)Mon. Mar 6: Kings 4, Capitals 2 (31-28-6)Thu. Mar 9: Devils 3, Capitals 2 (SO) (31-28-7)Sat. Mar 11: Capitals 5, Islanders 1 (32-28-7)Tue. Mar 14: Rangers 5, Capitals 3 (32-29-7)Wed. Mar 15: Capitals 5, Sabres 4 (SO) (33-29-7)Fri. Mar 17: Blues 5, Capitals 2 (33-30-7)Sun. Mar 19: Wild 5, Capitals 3 (33-31-7)Tue. Mar 21: Blue Jackets 7, Capitals 6 (OT) (33-31-8)Thu. Mar 23: Capitals 6, Blackhawks 1 (34-31-8)Sat. Mar 25: Penguins 4, Capitals 3 (34-32-8)Wed. Mar 29: Islanders 2, Capitals 1 (SO) (34-32-9)Thu. Mar 30: Lightning 5, Capitals 1 (34-33-9)Sun. Apr 2: Rangers 5, Capitals 2 (34-34-9)Thu. Apr 6: Canadiens 6, Capitals 2 (34-35-9)Sat. Apr 8: Panthers 4, Capitals 2 (34-36-9)Mon. Apr 10: Capitals 5, Islanders 2 (35-36-9)Tue. Apr 11: Bruins 5, Capitals 2 (35-37-9)Thu. Apr 13: Devils 5, Capitals 4 (35-38-10)

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