Before Alex Ovechkin’s historic empty-netter against the Winnipeg Jets, Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov appeared to have a clear shot for a goal. Ovechkin initially beat the Jets’ defense with a pass to an uncovered Kuznetsov, who recognized the magnitude of the moment and dumped the puck back to the “Great 8.”
“I gave it to Kuzy, and he was like, ‘I don’t want to take it,'” Ovechkin explained after the Capitals’ 4-1 win, per Samantha Pell of the Washington Post.
Ovechkin slapped the puck in the net for career goal No. 802, moving him past Gordie Howe for second on the NHL’s all-time goal list.
“I’ll feel probably bad if I score over there, and half of the world probably will be so mad at me,” Kuznetsov said, per Pell. “You know, I do have a lot of haters.”
Ovechkin reached 800 goals on Dec. 13 with a hat trick against the Chicago Blackhawks. But he was stuck on the number for more than a week after going goalless through four games.
Ovechkin tallied goal No. 801 in the first period against the Jets. With the Capitals headed to victory, Ovechkin got a sizeable opportunity to surpass Howe in front of the Washington home crowd. Kuznetsov was not about to spoil the moment for his fellow Russian teammate.
