This year is proving to be exceptional for the Washington Capitals. The team is currently at the top of the Eastern Conference, boasting 80 points after 55 games. Meanwhile, their captain, Alexander Ovechkin, is in pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal record in the NHL. Ovie stands at just 16 goals shy, with slightly over 20 regular season games left for the Caps.

Numerous voices have expressed predictions that this campaign could be the pivotal one for him to eclipse the Great One’s record, and now a former teammate has added their support to the Ovechkin enthusiasm in a unique way. Who exactly is this individual?

Ilya Samsonov is the name in question. The goaltender for the Vegas Golden Knights spent several seasons alongside his fellow countryman in the NHL after being picked by the Capitals in 2015. Nonetheless, despite his departure from the team, his bond with Ovie remains intact. Samsonov, now with the Golden Knights, previously faced off against the Caps captain on November 17 earlier this season.

In this specific match, Ovechkin achieved a hat trick, marking Samsonov as the 177th goaltender he has scored against in the NHL. Several others, including Connor Ingram, Leevi Merilainen, and Ivan Fedotov, have followed after Samsonov, yet finding the net against a former teammate likely carried a unique significance. But how did the goalie for the Golden Knights respond?

“The hat trick, yes, I did [allow part of it]. One is empty, one is a ricochet off the skate. So I also made history, helped a little bit. Someone said, like Petya Kochetkov, that the main thing is not to miss the record-breaking one. Otherwise, I’ll spend my whole life watching on all channels,” said Samsonov, as reported by Russian Machine Never Breaks (RMNB) on their official website.

The Golden Knights goaltender generously acknowledged the hat trick of his former teammate. Nevertheless, he continued onward. With a touch of humor, Samsonov elaborated on his reasons for not wanting to be the goaltender when Ovie inevitably scores his record-breaking goal down the line. The wave of attention that will follow, with countless replays flooding television and the internet, will undoubtedly be a nightmare for a goaltender.

This statement from the Golden Knights player is clearly meant to be one caused by amazement, as it is technically impossible for him to allow the record-breaking goal from Ovechkin. What is the reason behind that? The Golden Knights have faced off against the Caps twice in the current season. On October 15 and November 17, the team led by Ovechkin secured victories in both games, with scores of 4-2 and 5-2, respectively.

Ovie is now on the brink of reaching an extraordinary milestone, needing just 16 more goals. However, his path has been fraught with challenges, including a significant amount of criticism along the way.

The questions that are being put up on Alexander Ovechkin

The journey of a sportsman like Alexander Ovechkin, who has accomplished so much in his hockey career yet continues to pursue further goals is truly remarkable. However, he has faced a considerable amount of criticism. In the current season, as he hit an impressive 25-goal mark, he quickly encountered a wave of scrutiny, largely due to the fact that many of his recent goals were scored in open nets. What’s the source of this hatred?

Emotions are palpable among fans as Ovie nears Wayne Gretzky’s record, and there is a strong sentiment against the Russian NHL player climbing to the top through these kinds of goals. Nonetheless, Tom Gulitti weighed in on the criticism, noting, “Yes, 6 of Alex Ovechkin’s 25 goals are empty-net goals. Just like 7 of Mikko Rantanen’s 26 goals are empty-net goals. Also, 6 of Kirill Kaprizov’s 23 goals are empty-netters. And 5 of Adrian Kempe’s 24 goals are empty-netters.” 

The list comprises the most prolific scorers of the ongoing season, each having contributed a notable number of empty net goals to their tallies. Additionally, Gulitti disclosed another noteworthy statistic: “Ovechkin holds the NHL record with 63 empty-net goals. He broke Wayne Gretzky’s record of 56 empty-net goals last season.” The NHL reporter aimed to clarify that even a player of Gretzky’s caliber had his share of empty net goals throughout his career. And it’s not embarrassing for Ovie to reach these targets and come closer to that record.