Ovechkin has 14 goals in his past six games, including three hat tricks.
"[That] sounds like a good year," Washington defenseman John Carlson said. "It sounds like a good year for the majority of the NHL."
Ovechkin, who helped Washington rally for a 4-2 win, is the 13th player to score three goals in the final seven minutes of the third period in an NHL game, the first since Capitals forward Peter Bondra on March 26, 1996 in a 7-1 win against the New York Islanders.
"That's impressive and just tonight sums it all up: In less than five minutes, he took over the game," Washington coach Todd Reirden said. "We win the game because of that. That's what superstars do. We're fortunate to have him. I say it all the time. D.C. and surrounding areas are just so fortunate to be able to witness what we're able to see in front of our eyes and have seen over the last number of years. This is a real, real special player."
With 40 goals in 53 games, Ovechkin is pace to score 61, which would be his most since he scored an NHL career-high 65 in 2007-08. It would be his second 60-goal season and ninth season with at least 50, tying Gretzky and Mike Bossy for the most in NHL history.
Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos was the last NHL player with a 60-goal season (60 in 2011-12).
His 53 games are the second fewest he has played to score 40 goals; he scored his 40th goal in his 52nd game in 2007-08, when he was 22 years old. The 34-year-old is the oldest NHL player with four hat tricks in a season.
He would be the second-oldest NHL player with a 50-goal season (Johnny Bucyk of the Boston Bruins, who scored 51 in 1970-71 when he was 35) and would join Phil Esposito of the Bruins as the only players to have three 50-goal seasons at age 30 or older.
It's the ninth time Ovechkin is the first player to score 40 goals. The only other NHL players who were first to 40 at least five times were Bobby Hull (six times) and Esposito (five).
Ovechkin, who leads the NHL in goals this season, could win the Richard Trophy for a third straight season and ninth time. Hull is the only other player to lead the NHL in goals as many as seven times.