Hat trick vs. Oilers puts Ovechkin 13 goals shy of Gretzky's NHL career goals record

Alex Ovechkin fired a perfect wrist shot past Calvin Pickard for his first goal of the game, scored from his office on the power play for his second and sailed a shot into an empty net from his own zone to complete the hat trick.

"I have pretty good chances to score more," Ovechkin said, "but I'll take three."

Scoring three goals in the Washington Capitals' 7-3 rout of the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday put Ovechkin 13 away from breaking Wayne Gretzky's NHL career record of 894 that long seemed unapproachable. Even after missing 16 games earlier this season because of a broken leg, the 39-year-old is on pace to pass Gretzky this spring.

Linemate Dylan Strome, who has assisted on 16 of Ovechkin's 29 goals this season, acknowledged "it's going to be tough still" to set the record in March or April. Asked if scoring 13 in Washington's final 25 games was doable, Ovechkin said he's taking it "game by game."

If there are more games like the one against the Oilers, it's a matter of when, not if, Ovechkin reaches 895 and beyond.

"I've never seen a guy so hungry," longtime teammate Tom Wilson said. "Some guys score and they [think], `OK, I had a good night.' He comes back to the bench, he's asking if he can go out again like right away. It's pretty fun, and it's been an amazing journey watching him do what he can do."

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Watching from the other side, grizzled veteran Corey Perry lamented the Oilers letting Ovechkin get open enough to do damage.

"You give the best goal scorer in the world that kind of time, he's going to put it in the back of the net," Perry said.

After scoring 10