The Washington Capitals forward scored twice in the third period against the Nashville Predators on Tuesday and has scored 31 this season.
The 36-year-old, in his 17th NHL season, trails Mike Gartner, who scored 30 goals in 17 of his 19 NHL seasons.
Ovechkin, who had not scored in six games, scored a power-play goal at 4:33 and an empty-net goal with 1:23 remaining.
Washington won 4-1
at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
"If we play like that, we move the puck quick, we control the puck, it doesn't matter, me or somebody else is going to score," Ovechkin said. "I just try to do my job."
Ovechkin scored more than 30 goals in each of his first 15 NHL seasons, a streak that ended with 24 in 45 games last season, when the NHL schedule was reduced to 56 games because of concerns surrounding the coronavirus.
"It's quite an accomplishment by 'Ovi,'" Washington coach Peter Laviolette said. "That's second most in the NHL, so that's a great accomplishment by him. It's different when you are coaching against him than when you're coaching with him. When you are coaching against him, you are constantly talking about how to keep him in check. Especially on the power play, the goal that he scored tonight, he's scored so many goals from that area. It's nice to have a weapon like that out on the ice 5-on-5 and on the power play. The start to his year was excellent. He got off to a really good start and been in a little bit of a drought lately, but it's nice to see him get on the board tonight with a couple."
Ovechkin, Gartner (1979-94) and Jaromir Jagr (1991-2007) share the NHL record of 15 consecutive 30-goal seasons. Ovechkin and Gartner, who played his first 10 seasons for Washington, are the only players to score at least 30 goals in each of his first 15 NHL seasons.
Gartner's streak ended when he scored 12 goals in 38 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 48-game 1994-95 season. He then scored 35 for Toronto in 1995-96 and 32 for the Phoenix Coyotes in 1996-97.
Ovechkin has scored 761 NHL goals and trails Jagr (766), Gordie Howe (801) and Wayne Gretzky (894).
"I guess I still have fun," Ovechkin said last month. "I think I still love the game. I'm enjoying being on the ice, off the ice, spending time with this group of guys. So, I think that's the most important thing."
NHL.com independent correspondent John Glennon contributed to this report
