ARLINGTON, Va. – Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin has been named the NHL’s First Star for the week ending Nov. 3, the NHL announced today.
Ovechkin, 39, scored a League-leading five goals in four games as the Capitals went 3-1-0 to remain near the top of the Eastern Conference standings. In addition, Ovechkin’s nine points (5g, 4a) and +7 plus-minus rating during the week ranked tied for first among all skaters. Ovechkin recorded three straight multi-point games from Oct. 29 to Nov. 2 and back-to-back three-point performances on Oct. 31 (1g-2a–3p) and Nov. 2 (1g-2a–3p). Ovechkin became just the fourth different player age 39 or older to post consecutive three-point outings, joining Jean Ratelle (2 GP in 1980-81 & 1979-80), Gordie Howe (2 GP in 1968-69) and Tim Horton (2 GP in 1968-69).
Ovechkin, who passed Johnny Bucyk (1,436) for the ninth-most games played with one franchise in NHL history on Nov. 3 at Carolina, also scored his 860th career goal and is 35 goals shy of passing Wayne Gretzky (894g) for first on the NHL’s all-time goals list. With seven goals in 11 games, Ovechkin is currently on pace for 52 goals. Should Ovechkin score 50 goals in 2024-25, not only would he break Gretzky’s goal record, but he would also establish a new NHL record for most 50-goal seasons with 10 (Gretzky: 9; Mike Bossy; 9).
With two goals on Oct. 29 vs. the New York Rangers, his 174th career multi-goal game, Ovechkin passed Jaromir Jagr (538) for the third-most even-strength goals in NHL history.
Ovechkin has recorded 14 points (7g, 7a) in 11 games this season, the most points he has recorded through the first 11 games of a season since 2021-22 (10g-8a–18p in 11 GP). Ovechkin enters this week riding four-game goal and point streaks (5g-4a–9p in 4 GP). Ovechkin’s current four-game goal streak marks his longest since March 16-24, 2024, when he was last named the NHL's First Star of the Week.
The Capitals (8-3-0, 16 pts.) sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division and will look to extend their six-game home winning streak (10/15/24-11/2/24: 6-0-0) on Wednesday vs. the Nashville Predators. With their 7-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Nov. 2, Washington tied its franchise record for most wins (8) through the first 10 games of a season.
