Alex Ovechkin's hunt to pass Wayne Gretzky on all-time goals list may have taken a hit Monday.
The Capitals captain left Monday night's contests against Utah with an apparent lower-body injury. It came after he and Utah forward Jack McBain collided in the middle of the ice.
Ovechkin left in the third period and did not return.
The "Great 8" has turned back the clock so far in 2024. After a "down" year by Ovechkin's standards last season, he is currently leading the league in goals with 15 through 18 games. He is 27 goals away from passing Gretzky's record, which was long thought of as a mark that would never be broken.
In addition to the 15 goals, Ovechkin also has 10 assists, giving up 25 points this season, which is second on Washington behind Dylan Strome.
MORE: How close Alex Ovechkin is to breaking Wayne Gretzky's career goal record
Here is more on Ovechkin's injury.
Alex Ovechkin injury update
Ovechkin was injured with 14:30 remaining in the third period of the Capitals' 6-2 win over Utah on Monday night in Salt Lake City.
As Utah possessed the puck in the Washington zone, Ovechkin and McBain inadvertently clipped each other, with both players' left legs colliding into each other. The Capitals captain went down to the ice.
He was seen struggling to get off the ice, but made his way to the Capitals bench. He then left for the locker room and did not return.
Alex Ovechkin to the dressing room after this sequence 😩 pic.twitter.com/5KQdnRfFT6
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) November 19, 2024
At the time of the injury, Ovechkin was eyeing what would have been his second hat trick in as many games. He potted a trio of goals Sunday against the Golden Knights, and had two against Utah on Monday before he was forced to leave the game.
How long is Alex Ovechkin out?
Ovechkin is officially listed as "week-to-week" with what the Capitals are calling a "lower leg injury."
INJURY UPDATE: Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin sustained an injury to his lower leg during last night’s game in Utah, and is listed as week to week. Ovechkin will have further evaluation with team physicians in DC on Wednesday.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) November 19, 2024
The team placed him on injured reserve on Wednesday, Nov. 20. That means Ovechkin is ineligible to compete in games for a period of no less than seven days.
Washington resumes game action on Thursday, Nov. 21 with a home matchup against Colorado.
Ovechkin has proven to be one of the most durable players in the league. He’s only missed 59 games in total over the course of 20 seasons, and of those absent contests, only 35 were due to injury, per Capitals Outsider.
