Ovechkin scores 20 goals for 21st season, 2nd most in NHL history

Alex Ovechkin surpassed Ron Francis for the second-most 20-goal seasons in NHL history and moved within one of Gordie Howe’s League record, reaching the milestone for the Washington Capitals against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Sunday.

Ovechkin scored against the Predators to reach 20 goals for the 21st time in as many seasons in the NHL. Francis scored 20 goals in 20 of his 23 NHL seasons.

Howe holds the NHL records for most 20-goal seasons and most consecutive 20-goal seasons with 22.

Ovechkin reached the mark with a 5-on-3 power-play goal at 5:56 of the first period on Sunday, scoring from his usual spot in the left circle off a pass from John Carlson.

Ovechkin has 20 goals in 46 games this season to increase his NHL-record total to 917. The 40-year-old forward overtook Wayne Gretzky (894) for the most goals in League history when he scored his 895th goal on April 6 of last season against the New York Islanders.

Ovechkin scored 44 goals in 65 games last season despite missing 16 games with a fractured left fibula.

No player has had more consecutive 20-goal seasons from the start of his NHL career than Ovechkin, who was selected by Washington with the No. 1 pick in the 2004 NHL Draft. After not scoring more than 16 goals in any of his first three NHL seasons, Howe scored at least 20 in his next 22 seasons from 1949-50 to 1970-71, all with the Detroit Red Wings.

Ovechkin scored 52 goals as an NHL rookie in 2005-06 and has never scored fewer than 24, which was his total during the 2020-21 season that was abbreviated to 56 games because of the COVID-19 pandemic. That was also the only season in which Ovechkin didn’t score at least 30 goals.

Ovechkin holds the NHL records for 30-goal seasons (19) and 40-goal seasons (14), and is tied with Gretzky and Mike Bossy for the most 50-goal seasons (nine).