Ovechkin Hits 900 Goals, Binnington’s Unique Interaction
On Wednesday night, Jordan Binnington found himself in quite a situation. Rather than actually stopping Alex Ovechkin, he was trying to snag the puck after Ovechkin scored his 900th career goal.
Ovechkin reached this milestone with a smooth backhand shot from the side of the net just a few minutes into the second period. This feat marks him as the first player in NHL history to surpass 900 career goals.
In the midst of celebrating this historic achievement, the Blues’ goalie seemed to think about keeping the puck as a souvenir. He took it out of the net and awkwardly tucked it into his pants, perhaps as an unorthodox way to steal it for himself.
However, as he tried to make a move for the save, Binnington was a bit slow, and linesman Michel Cormier was quick to catch on to his antics. Cormier approached Binnington and asked him to return the puck, which the goaltender complied with, handing it over so the linesman could take it to the Capitals’ bench.
After the game, Capitals forward Logan Thompson playfully remarked, “I don’t know, maybe he was trying to grab it to give it to him,” referring to Binnington’s unusual attempt.
Ovechkin has consistently made headlines in the NHL, not just with this milestone but also for breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time scoring record earlier this year. As he enters the 2025-26 season, he’s merely three goals shy of hitting 900 points.
His first goal this season came against the Minnesota Wild on October 17th, quickly followed by another against the Blue Jackets a week later.
Reflecting on reaching 900 goals, Ovechkin shared, “A few days ago, someone asked me, ‘Do you think about 900?’ I mean, this is a big number, and it’s unprecedented in NHL history. So, it’s a special moment to be the first to achieve this. It’s nice having our fans and families here after the homestand. It feels pretty cool.”
Ovechkin, who burst onto the scene in the league during the 2005-2006 season, has certainly made a name for himself, claiming the Hart Trophy three times, the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2018, and winning his first Stanley Cup the same year.
