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Alex Ovechkin - Washington Capitals - In Play! magazine
Alex Ovechkin extended his NHL records for goals as well as game winners and now needs just one tally for 900 in his career. File photo: Tim Jarrold - In Play! magazine
25
Oct

NHL October 24, 2025 – Ovechkin on Brink of Becoming First 900-Goal Scorer in NHL History

Alex Ovechkin (1-1—2) scored his 899th career tally during Washington’s victory versus Columbus and now needs one to become the first player in NHL history with 900. Ovechkin can reach the milestone when he plays his 1,500th career game during Hockey Night in Canada tonight (more on that below).

  • Ovechkin scored his 137th career game-winning goal to extend his League record. It was also Ovechkin’s 336th career third-period marker, moving him into a tie with Wayne Gretzky for the most in NHL history.

HAMILTON HELPS DEVILS PUSH WIN STREAK TO SEVEN GAMES

Dougie Hamilton (2-1—3) and captain Nico Hischier (0-2—2) combined on two of three Devils goals as New Jersey defeated San Jose in a tightly-contested affair and extended their win streak to seven games – a stretch that began after the club dropped its season opener to Carolina on Oct. 9.

  • Hamilton’s game-winning goal, which passed Andy Greene (11) for the fourth most in franchise history by a defenseman, comes on the heels of back-to-back winners from teammate Brenden Dillon. The Devils had a defenseman register the game-winning goal in three consecutive contests for the first time in franchise history; the Oilers were the last team to post a stretch of at least three games (3 GP from April 5-10, 2024).
  • New Jersey’s victory was bolstered by a second-period performance that held San Jose without a shot on goal. The Devils held the opposition without a shot on goal during an entire period for the fourth time in franchise history (excluding OT) following Jan. 6, 2017 (P3 vs. TOR), Oct. 29, 2002 (P3 vs. CAR) and Oct. 10, 1998 (P1 at CHI).

UPDATES FROM FRIDAY

Friday’s featured a four-game slate, including Josh Morrissey and Zach Benson helping the Jets and Sabres securing wins:

  • Morrissey (0-3—3), Gabriel Vilardi (1-1—2) and Mark Scheifele (0-2—2) had multiple points as the Jets improved to 6-1-0 in their last seven games. Morrissey reached 298 career helpers and needs two to become the first defenseman in Jets/Thrashers history with 300.
  • Benson (0-7—7 in 5 GP) collected his team-leading seventh assist on one of five Sabres goals as Buffalo took the first game of a back-to-back, home-and-home set with Toronto. The Sabres extended their home winning streak to four games, matching the Mammoth and Detroit Red Wings for the longest run by a team this season; they have outscored opponents 20-9 during that span.

HUGHES VS. HUTSON HIGHLIGHTS HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA SLATE

Two of the NHL’s most productive defensemen go head-to-head tonight on Sportsnet’s Hockey Night in Canada when Quinn Hughes (2023-24 Norris Trophy winner) and the Canucks host Lane Hutson (2024-25 Calder Trophy winner) and the Canadiens. They combined for five points in their only previous meeting (Jan. 6, 2025). The Canucks-Canadiens showdown will air on CBC and TVA Sports in Canada, as well as NHL Network in the U.S.

Need-to-know ahead of the second Hughes-Hutson head-to-head:

  1. Hughes, the Canucks record holder for career assists and points by a defenseman, entered 2025-26 on a stretch of four consecutive 60-assist and 65-point campaigns. Hughes is one of four defensemen in NHL history with four consecutive 60-assist seasons, along with Bobby Orr (6 from 1969-70 – 1974-75), Ray Bourque (5 from 1989-90 – 1993-94) and Paul Coffey (5 from 1981-82 – 1985-86). The last blueliners with at least five straight 65-point seasons were Coffey and Bourque, with respective 13 and five-season runs both ending in 1993-94 (of note, Cale Makar can post a fifth straight campaign with 65+ points in 2025-26 as well).
  2. Hutson, who set Canadiens records for assists and points by a rookie defenseman in 2024-25 (6-60—66), can become the fifth blueliner in NHL history with multiple 60-assist seasons before age 23 – after Coffey (4x), Orr (3x), Brian Leetch (2x) and Hughes (2x) – and the third active defenseman with multiple 65-point showings at that age, after Hughes and Erik Karlsson (2x). Hutson skated in his 90th career game a week ago during Hockey Night in Canada and, among active defensemen, ranked second in assists and third in points at that stage of a career (Makar, Hughes & Hutson make up the top three on both lists).
  3. Both from hockey families, Quinn is the eldest of three current NHL siblings (also Jack and Luke w/ NJD) while Lane is the first of four siblings to realize his NHL dream – older brother Quinn Hutson signed with the Oilers in April, 19-year-old Cole Hutson was drafted by the Capitals in 2024 and 16-year-old Lars Hutson is skating in the USHL. The Hughes’ parents, Jim and Ellen, both played NCAA hockey, as did the Hutsons’ father, Rob.

MATINEES LEAD INTO EARLY HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA START

A pair of matinees carried nationally by Sportsnet (Canada) and NHL Network (U.S.) lead into an early Hockey Night in Canada start, which begins at 5 p.m. ET on Sportsnet when the Sabres look to sweep their back-to-back, home-and-home set against the Maple Leafs.

A few key takeaways:

  • Alex Ovechkin is expected to skate in his 1,500th NHL game when the Capitals host the Senators on Hockey Night in Canada. His 899 goals are 189 more than the next-closest player through the milestone contest (Jaromir Jagr: 710), although Wayne Gretzky (894 in 1,487 GP), Brett Hull (741 in 1,269 GP), Marcel Dionne (731 in 1,348 GP) and Phil Esposito (717 in 1,282 GP) had higher than 710 but never reached 1,500 games.
  • The Kraken put their perfect home record on the line when Connor McDavid and the Oilers visit for the Hockey Night in Canada closer. Edmonton has won 12 of 15 previous meetings (12-3-0; SEA: 3-11-1) and accounts for four of the top five highest-scoring players against the Kraken.
  • Dylan Larkin (8 GP), Martin Necas (8 GP), Nick Suzuki (8 GP), Jack Eichel (7 GP), Seth Jarvis (7 GP) and Sebastian Aho (7 GP) all put lengthy point streaks on the line. Necas and Eichel will do so for the Avalanche (5-0-3) and Golden Knights (5-0-2), respectively, which are the only two clubs without a regulation defeat this season.
  • Lightning teammates Nikita Kucherov (359-640—999) and Victor Hedman (171-628—799) both sit a point away from significant milestones, while Sidney Crosby (1,698 points) and John Tavares (498 goals) are within two from significant career benchmarks.
  • The Hurricanes-Stars matchup will be a mix between previous and soon-to-be teammates as Mikko Rantanen and Logan Stankoven face their former mates for the first time since being traded for each other in March. The contest is also expected to feature four players guaranteed to be part of the Team Finland roster at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026: Rantanen, Miro Heiskanen, Esa Lindell and Sebastian Aho have already secured roster spots.
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Guest Writer