NEW YORK -- Alex Ovechkin's next goal this season will be his 50th, marking the sixth time in his 10 NHL seasons that he has scored at least 50 goals. He has six games left to score the goal.
Ovechkin, the Washington Capitals captain, is on pace to win the Rocket Richard Trophy for the fifth time in his career. That would put him in the company of Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull and Phil Esposito as the only players in NHL history who have led the League in goals in at least five seasons.
Ovechkin tried his best to downplay what another 50-goal season would mean to him when he was asked about it following his two-goal performance in Washington's 5-2 win against the New York Rangers on Sunday.
"It's a good accomplishment," Ovechkin said. "Obviously if the puck goes in the puck goes in, but I'm concentrating right now to clinch the playoffs and do that kind of stuff."
The Capitals are on pace to be the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. They're close in their chase of the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins for second in the Metropolitan Division, which would give them home-ice in the first round.
Follow Dan Rosen on Twitter at: @drosennhl
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