Sunday may have been Alex Ovechkin's final game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, so here's a look at his top-five goals against them.
There's a chance that Sunday was Alex Ovechkin's final game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
He recorded an assist in the Washington Capitals' 3-0 win, keeping their faint playoff hopes alive.
Ovechkin's rivalry with Sidney Crosby has been one of the best in NHL history, producing unforgettable moments. They've now played against one another 100 times and have played four crazy playoff series over the years.
The Penguins won the first three before the Capitals won the last one in 2018. Whoever won each series went on to win the Stanley Cup.
With all of that in mind, let's take a look at Ovechkin's top-five goals against the Penguins throughout his career.
The Dueling Hat Trick Goal
Let's go back to May. 4, 2009. It was Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Penguins and Capitals, with the Capitals taking Game 1, 3-2.
The two teams played an instant classic, with both Crosby and Ovechkin recording dueling hat tricks. Ovechkin's third goal was credited as the game-winner, making it a 4-2 game with 4:38 left in the third period. He blew the puck past Marc-Andre Fleury, giving the Capitals a big insurance goal.
Yes, the Penguins went on to win the series in seven games before winning the Stanley Cup, but this was still an unbelievable goal.
Game 3 winner in 2018
2018 was the third consecutive year that the Penguins and Capitals met in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Penguins won the two previous matchups in 2016 and 2017 and were the back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions going into this series.
The two teams split the first two games in D.C. before the series shifted to Pittsburgh for Games 3 and 4. It looked like Game 3 was headed to overtime before Ovechkin scored the game-winner with 1:07 left in the third period. The goal stunned the Pittsburgh crowd.
This gave the Capitals a 2-1 series lead, and for the first time, some belief that they could actually beat the Penguins in a series. They'd end up winning the series in six games, thanks to Evgeny Kuznetsov's overtime winner.
Ovechkin Hat Trick in 2010
Back on Feb. 7, 2010, the New Orleans Saints beat the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV, but there was a big hockey game that preceded that contest.
The Penguins played the Capitals in D.C. and raced out to a 4-1 lead in the second period before Ovechkin tied the game with a hat trick in the third period. Nicklas Backstrom won a draw before the puck got to Ovechkin's blade, and he made no mistake with it.
The Capitals would go on to win 5-4 in overtime, thanks to Mike Knuble.
Ovechkin's 1,000th point
As fate would have it, Ovechkin's 1,000th point came against the Penguins on Jan. 11, 2017. The Penguins were in D.C. for the game, and Ovechkin reached the milestone with a nasty goal.
He had a nifty toe-drag in the offensive zone before burying the puck past Fleury. He was mobbed by some of his teammates before being honored by the team.
Ovechkin's 1,001st point
I know that this goal came in the same game as Ovechkin's 1,000th point, but it was also a great goal.
After opening the scoring in the first period, the Caps took a 1-0 lead into the second period before they got a power play with a little less than 12:30 remaining in the period.
The Caps won the draw before John Carlson fed Ovechkin a one-timer from his signature spot. Fleury had no chance on the shot.
The Capitals won the game by three, 5-2.
Time will tell if Ovechkin returns for the 2026-27 season. He's expected to make a decision this summer.
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