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Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin Trolls First Goalie He Ever Scored On

Alex Ovechkin is all business as he hunts down the NHL's all-time goals record, but the Washington Capitals captain still has a sense of humor.

Nick Horwat

Mar 7, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) shoots the puck against the Detroit Red Wings in the third period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Mar 7, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) shoots the puck against the Detroit Red Wings in the third period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
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Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is chasing down one of the most iconic records in NHL history as he sits just nine goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record. Over his 20-year career with the Capitals, Ovechkin has scored 886 goals against 181 different goalies but hasn’t forgotten about where it all started.

From TVA Sports, the Capitals captain signed a special jersey for former NHL netminder Pascal Leclaire, the goalie Ovechkin scored his first career goal against. In the second period of his NHL debut, Ovechkin scored a pair of goals against the Columbus Blue Jackets with Leclaire between the pipes.

Not only did Ovechkin sign and send the jersey to Leclaire, but he took a playful jab with his signature.

“You were #1,” Ovechkin wrote with a smiley face.

Ovechkin would go on to score five total goals against Leclaire, but he has the distinct honor of allowing the first of 886 and counting.

Leclaire played 173 games in the NHL split between the Blue Jackets and Ottawa Senators with a career record of 61-76-15. The former eighth overall pick from 2001 finished his NHL career with a .904 save percentage and 2.89 goals against average.

Of the 181 goalies Ovechkin has scored against, future Hall of Famer Marc-Andre Fleury has been beaten the most by allowing 28 goals in his 47 meetings against the capitals.

Ovechkin has been the center of attention in Washington as he chases down Gretzky’s 894, but the Capitals are among the top teams in the NHL. With a 43-15-8 record, only the Winnipeg Jets have the same amount of standings points.

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Nick Horwat
NICK HORWAT

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