Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored three goals for the 34th time in his NHL career, powering his team to a 7-4 victory over the Utah Mammoth on Thursday night in Salt Lake City.
The win came at Utah’s Delta Center and ended a two-game skid for the Capitals, who improved to 3-2-0 in their last five outings. Ovechkin, at age 40, struck twice against former teammate Vitek Vanecek in the second period before sealing the hat trick with an empty-net goal 5.2 seconds from the final buzzer. His first tally at 5:01 cut Utah’s lead to 3-2 after tapping in a shot from Rasmus Sandin. The second came at 11:28 on a wrist shot from the point that tied the score at 3-3.
Ivan Miroshnichenko added two goals for Washington, while Anthony Beauvillier and Sandin each chipped in a goal and an assist. Logan Thompson stopped 36 shots in net. The Capitals erased a 3-1 deficit in the middle frame, showcasing their resilience on the road.
Ovechkin’s performance etched his name deeper into the record books. He passed Brett Hull for fourth on the all-time hat trick list and now holds the NHL mark with hat tricks against 21 different franchises. These markers—his 924th, 925th, and 926th career goals—came on just five shots in 18:27 of ice time. At 40 years and 190 days old, he became the sixth-oldest player to record a hat trick and the third to post two in a season at that age, joining Johnny Bucyk and Gordie Howe. Vanecek marked the 189th distinct goaltender Ovechkin has beaten.
The Mammoth, playing at home, sit fourth in the Central Division with 80 points after 73 games. Washington holds 81 points in the Metropolitan Division, clinging to a playoff spot amid a tight race. This result boosts their momentum as the regular season pushes toward the postseason, where 16 teams will compete in a division-heavy bracket. Ovechkin’s hot streak—his second hat trick this season—keeps the Capitals competitive in the East.
