Facts/Figures: Ovechkin can catch Messier for eighth on NHL goals list

Alex Ovechkin's next target on his march toward 700 goals is
Mark Messier
.

Ovechkin can tie the Hall of Famer for eighth place on the NHL's all-time goals list when the Washington Capitals visit the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on Friday (7:30 p.m. ET; TSN5, RDS, NBCSWA, NHL.TV). The Capitals forward enters the game with 693 goals, one behind Messier and seven shy of becoming the eighth player in League history to score 700.
Among the nine players in NHL history to score at least 693 regular-season goals, Ovechkin's power-play goals (258) and game-tying goals (124) are the most at the time of the player's 693rd. In addition, 238 of his 693 regular-season goals have given Washington the lead; he's second to Brett Hull (247) for the most by any player at the time of goal No. 693.

Iafallo works overtime for Kings, joins exclusive club

Alex Iafallo became the third player in NHL history to score multiple goals in the first 25 seconds of overtime in the same season and completed his first League hat trick in the process. The forward scored 24 seconds into OT to give the Los Angeles Kings a 3-2 win against the Arizona Coyotes at Gila River Arena on Thursday. He's the fourth player in Kings history to complete a hat trick by scoring in overtime.

It was Iafallo's second overtime goal of the season; the other came 23 seconds into OT against the Detroit Red Wings on Nov. 14. He joins Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones and Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jeff Petry as the only players to score within the first 25 seconds of overtime more than once in the same season. Jones and Petry each did it twice last season.
The only players to score more than twice within the first 25 seconds of overtime during their NHL careers are Jaromir Jagr (Nov. 22, 1997, April 7, 2000 and Jan. 12, 2006) and San Jose Sharks defenseman Brent Burns (Nov. 29, 2016, Dec. 7, 2017 and March 30, 2019).

Predators outlast Devils in shootout

Forward Filip Forsberg of the Nashville Predators scored one of five game-tying goals before center Matt Duchene got the deciding goal in the shootout for a 6-5 victory against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center.
It was the fifth game this season to have at least five game-tying goals and the second to involve the Devils. The others: Oct. 5 (Kings at Edmonton Oilers), Oct. 30 (Tampa Bay Lightning at New Jersey), Nov. 10 (Florida Panthers at New York Rangers) and Dec. 21 (Anaheim Ducks at New York Islanders). The only three seasons in the past 25 years to have more such games are 2018-19 (six), 2010-11 (seven) and 1995-96 (six).

Forsberg scored his 162nd and 163rd NHL goals, all with Nashville, tying Martin Erat for third in Predators history behind David Legwand (210) and Shea Weber (166).
Nashville's Roman Josi (51 points; 14 goals, 37 assists) had two assists to become the second NHL defenseman to reach the 50-point mark this season. Washington's John Carlson leads all defensemen with 60 points (13 goals, 47 assists).

Kovalchuk keeps rolling for Canadiens

At age 36, Ilya Kovalchuk looks rejuvenated since signing with the Montreal Canadiens on Jan. 3.
The forward scored his fifth goal in 10 games with the Canadiens, helping Montreal to a 3-1 victory against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center and has nine points (five goals, four assists) in his first 10 games with Montreal. The only players in the past 30 years to score more goals in their first 10 games with the Canadiens are Alex Tanguay (six from Oct. 10-Nov. 1, 2008), Pierre Turgeon (10 from April 5-22, 1995) and Brian Bellows (six from Oct. 6-24, 1992).

Eichel reaches 30-goal mark for first time

Jack Eichel became a 30-goal scorer for the first time in his five NHL seasons when the center scored a first-period power-play goal for the Sabres in their loss to Montreal.
With 64 points (30 goals, 34 assists) in 50 games, Buffalo's captain is on pace to finish the season with 104 points (49 goals, 55 assists). That would be the most goals and points in a season by a Sabres player since Pat LaFontaine (148 points; 53 goals, 95 assists) and Alexander Mogilny (127 points; 76 goals, 51 assists), each in 1992-93.
Eichel also is one of nine players on pace to reach the 100-point mark. That would be the most in a single season
since 12 players did it in 1995-96
.
Rasmus Dahlin had the primary assist on Eichel's goal, giving the 19-year-old 73 points (12 goals, 61 assists) and moving him past Bobby Orr for the fourth-most points by a teenage defenseman in NHL history.