Ovechkin’s Road to 895: His 52 Goals Against the Flyers

On Sunday afternoon, Alex Ovechkin became the NHL’s all-time leader in goals with 895, passing Wayne Gretzky. In his career, Ovechkin has scored 52 of those 895 goals against the Flyers, tied for second-most against any opponent.

As Ovechkin reaches the mountaintop of the NHL’s goal scoring list, here’s a look at all of Ovechkin’s goals against the Flyers.

2005-06 Season

December 31, 2005 – Goal 1 – Goalie: Antero Niittymaki

Ovechkin’s first goal against the Flyers came on New Year’s Eve of 2005, a power-play goal at 7:38 of the second period to tie the game at one. It was the 23rd of his career. The first Flyers goaltender in his book was Antero Niittymaki.

January 6, 2006 – Goal 2 – Goalie: Antero Niittymaki

Goal No. 25 of Ovechkin’s career came on January 6, 2006, also against Niittymaki. The power-play goal at 8:55 of the first period opened the scoring.

February 10, 2006 – Goal 3 – Goalie: Robert Esche

On February 10, 2006, Ovechkin’s third goal against the Flyers was the 35th of his career, and came against Robert Esche at 15:01 of the second period on the power play. It cut the Flyers lead to 5-3.

2006-07 Season

November 4, 2006 – Goals 4 and 5 – Goalie: Robert Esche

Ovechkin started a successful 2006-07 season against the Flyers with a two-goal game against Esche in early November for Goals 59 and 60 of his career. His first was at 3:53 of the first period to open the scoring. His second closed out a four-goal first period for the Capitals at 19:01.

December 9, 2006 – Goal 6 – Goalie: Antero Niittymaki

Goal 70 of Ovechkin’s career came on December 9, 2006, against Niittymaki again. Ovechkin opened the scoring at 6:28 of the first period.

December 16, 2006 – Goal 7 – Goalie: Antero Niittymaki

Ovechkin’s seventh goal against the Flyers was one week later, also against Niittymaki. He capped the scoring on a 4-1 Washington win at 3:16 of the third period.

January 9, 2007 – Goals 8 and 9 – Goalie: Robert Esche

Another two-goal game for Ovechkin against Esche and the Flyers. Ovechkin’s first of the game made it 2-0 Washington at 6:36 of the first. His second, the 80th of his career, was at 16:45 of the second to make it 3-0 in a 6-2 Washington win.

2007-08 Season

November 2, 2007 – Goal 10 – Goalie: Antero Niittymaki

Ovechkin’s first goal of the 2007-08 season against the Flyers came in the third period with 4:08 remaining to cut the Flyers lead to one. The 107th goal of Ovechkin’s career capped the scoring on a 3-2 Flyers win.

January 13, 2008 – Goal 11 – Goalie: Martin Biron

Ovechkin added a third Flyers goalie to his book, scoring against Martin Biron. His 131st career goal came at 11:10 of the second period to make it a one-goal game at 4-3 in an eventual 6-4 win for the Flyers.

February 6, 2008 – Goal 12 – Goalie: Martin Biron

Ovechkin’s 144th career goal was the eventual game-winner in a 4-3 decision, making it a 4-1 game at 7:45 of the third. The goal also came against Biron.

2008-09 Season

February 24, 2009 – Goal 13 – Goalie: Antero Niittymaki

It was over a year before Ovechkin scored his next goal against the Flyers. Ovechkin’s 207th career goal made it 2-0 at 4:19 of the second, but the Flyers scored four unanswered to win, 4-2.

March 12, 2009 – Goal 14 – Goalie: Martin Biron

Ovechkin’s next goal against the Flyers was his 211th. It came against Biron with 2:41 left in the second period and proved to be the game-winner in a 2-1 Capitals win.

2009-10 Season

October 6, 2009 – Goals 15 and 16 – Goalie: Ray Emery

In just the third game of the season, Ovechkin was already up to five goals on the season by the end of a 6-5 overtime win for the Flyers. Ovechkin’s first goal of the night came at 2:44 of the second period to tie the game at one. He added his second of the game to tie things up at two at 7:33 of the second period. Both goals came against Ray Emery.

October 27, 2009 – Goals 17 and 18 – Goalie: Ray Emery

Ovechkin’s next game against the Flyers was another two-goal game. His first goal of the game at 16:08 of the second got the Capitals on the board, down 2-1. He later capped the scoring at 19:14 of the third with an empty-net goal.

January 17, 2010 – Goal 19 – Goalie: Ray Emery

Ovechkin had Emery’s number for the fourth time this season in the third period of a 5-3 win. Ovechkin’s goal added some insurance, as he scored on a penalty shot with 4:12 left in the third for his 30th goal of the season and 249th of his career.

2010-11 Season

January 18, 2011 – Goal 20 – Goalie: Sergei Bobrovsky

Ovechkin’s 20th goal against the Flyers tied the game at two at 8:38 of the third period against Sergei Bobrovsky. The Flyers won the game in overtime, 3-2. It was Ovechkin’s only goal of the season against the Flyers.

2011-12 Season

October 20, 2011 – Goals 21 and 22 – Goalie: Ilya Bryzgalov

Ovechkin immediately doubled his goal total against the Flyers from the previous season in his first meeting against the Flyers in 2011-12. Ovechkin scored at 19:48 of the first to give the Capitals a 2-1 lead. He made it a 4-1 game with a power-play goal at 3:54 of the third in a 5-2 win. Both goals were against Ilya Bryzgalov.

March 22, 2012 – Goal 23 – Goalie: Ilya Bryzgalov

Ovechkin struck just 26 seconds into the game against Bryzgalov for his 23rd career goal against the Flyers. It was the only goal Washington scored in the game, a 2-1 shootout win for the Flyers. 

2012-13 Season

March 31, 2013 – Goal 24 – Goalie: Ilya Bryzgalov

In a lockout-shortened season, Ovechkin still put Bryzgalov in his book again on March 31, 2013. Ovechkin’s power-play goal at 12:48 of the third appeared to put away the game at a 4-2 margin, but the Flyers rallied back for a 5-4 win in overtime.

2013-14 Season

December 15, 2013 – Goal 25 – Goalie: Steve Mason

In the final minute of the third period, Ovechkin hopped off the bench and scored the tying goal at 19:12 for his 25th against the Flyers and 398th of his career. The goal came against Steve Mason. The Capitals won the game, 5-4, in a shootout.

December 17, 2013 – Goal 26 – Goalie: Steve Mason

The Flyers and Capitals played again two nights later and Ovechkin opened the scoring on the power play just 40 seconds into the second period for his 399th career goal, also against Mason.

March 5, 2014 – Goal 27 – Goalie: Steve Mason

Ovechkin’s 27th goal against the Flyers came at 6:35 of the third period on the power play on March 5, 2014, also against Mason. 

2014-15 Season

January 8, 2015 – Goal 28 – Goalie: Steve Mason

Ovechkin got the Capitals on the board first at 3:08 of the first period on the power play with his 28th goal against the Flyers and 443rd of his career. Mason was in goal once again.

February 8, 2015 – Goal 29 – Goalie: Ray Emery

Ovechkin struck on the power play again against Emery and the Flyers on February 8, 2015, tying the game at one at 13:29. The Flyers won the game, 3-1.

2015-16 Season

February 7, 2016 – Goal 30 – Goalie: Steve Mason

At 15:56 of the second period, Ovechkin tied the game at one with his 30th career goal against the Flyers and the 505th of his career. The Capitals won the game, 3-2.

March 30, 2016 – Goal 31 – Goalie: Steve Mason

Ovechkin’s goal at 1:28 of the third period on the power play opened the scoring between the two teams. The Flyers tied the game later in the third period and won in a shootout.

2016-17 Season

For the first time in his career, Ovechkin went a full season without a goal against the Flyers. He finished with four assists in the four games against the Flyers in the 2016-17 season.

2017-18 Season

January 21, 2018 – Goal 32 – Goalie: Brian Elliott

Ovechkin’s power-play goal at 19:44 of the second period tied the game at one. It was Ovechkin’s 32nd career goal against the Flyers and 587th of Ovechkin’s career.

March 18, 2018 – Goal 33 – Goalie: Petr Mrazek

Three games after reaching the 600-goal mark, Ovechkin got career goal No. 601 against Petr Mrazek and the Flyers on March 18, 2018. The goal at 15:08 of the second tied the game at one. The Flyers won the game, 6-3.

2018-19 Season

March 6, 2019 – Goal 34 – Goalie: Brian Elliott

Ovechkin got on the board for the only time in the 2018-19 season against the Flyers at 2:32 of the second period on the power play. It was Ovechkin’s 653rd career goal.

2019-20 Season

Not only did the Flyers hold Ovechkin without a goal, they held him without a point over four games in the 2019-20 season.

2020-21 Season

February 7, 2021 – Goals 35 and 36 – Goalie: Carter Hart

In a 56-game COVID-shortened season that featured only divisional play, the Flyers and Capitals met six times in the 2020-21 season. Ovechkin scored his first two goals against the Flyers that season on February 7, 2021. He opened the scoring on the power play at 11:11 of the first period. He added his second of the game at 4:08 of the second in a 7-4 Washington win.

March 7, 2021 – Goal 37 – Goalie: Carter Hart

Ovechkin’s third goal of the season against the Flyers came at 15:11 of the second period to tie the game at one. The Capitals won the game, 3-1.

March 11, 2021 – Goal 38 – Goalie: Brian Elliott

Ovechkin opened the scoring again four nights later at 8:37 of the first period. The Capitals won again, 5-3.

March 13, 2021 – Goal 39 – Goalie: Carter Hart

Two nights later, Ovechkin scored again for his fifth goal of the season against the Flyers and 10th of the season overall. His power-play goal at 13:10 of the second made it a 4-2 game in an eventual 5-4 win for the Capitals.

April 13, 2021 – Goal 40 – Goalie: Brian Elliott

Ovechkin’s 22nd goal of the season and 729th of his career capped the scoring on a 6-1 Capitals win at 5:10 of the third period. It was a power-play goal.

April 17, 2021 – Goals 41 and 42 – Goalie: Alex Lyon

Four nights later, Ovechkin scored his seventh and eighth goals of the season against the Flyers. He opened the scoring at 3:38 on the power play and added another power-play goal at 6:15 of the second period in a 6-3 Washington win.

2021-22 Season

April 12, 2022 – Goal 43 – Goalie: Carter Hart

In a 9-2 win for Washington, Ovechkin only scored once for his 776th career goal. It opened the scoring at 6:01 of the first period.

2022-23 Season

November 23, 2022 – Goal 44 – Goalie: Felix Sandstrom

The race was on for Ovechkin to reach the 800 goal mark, with Gordie Howe and second place on the all-time goals list in sight. Ovechkin took a step closer with the overtime winner against the Flyers on November 23, 2022, at 1:04 of the extra session for his 790th career goal.

December 7, 2022 – Goal 45 and 46 – Goalie: Empty Net

Ovechkin’s pursuit of 800 took two steps closer with two more empty net goals in the final two minutes of a 4-1 win over the Flyers for career goals 794 and 795.

January 14, 2023 – Goal 47 – Goalie: Carter Hart

After going scoreless against the Flyers three nights earlier, Ovechkin was back on the board with his 47th career goal against the Flyers at 17:56 of the first period. The 810th goal of his career was the only goal the Capitals scored in a 3-1 Flyers win.

2023-24 Season

March 1, 2024 – Goal 48 – Goalie: Sam Ersson

In the heat of a playoff race, Ovechkin scored to get the Capitals on the board at 4:34 of the second period for his 839th career goal. That was the first of five unanswered goals in a 5-2 win for Washington.

April 16, 2024 – Goal 49 – Goalie: Sam Ersson

In the final game of the regular season, with a playoff spot on the line, Ovechkin scored his 853rd career goal at 18:08 of the first period. The Capitals won the game 2-1 to secure the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

You can watch all 49 of Ovechkin’s goals against the Flyers prior to the 2024-25 season below:

2024-25 Season

October 23, 2024 – Goal 50 – Goalie: Empty Net

Ovechkin’s pursuit of Gretzky’s record was just underway in October when he scored an empty-net goal for his 855th goal of his career and 50th of his career against the Flyers.

8️⃣5️⃣5️⃣ pic.twitter.com/zfjhYFGjfh

— x – Washington Capitals (@Capitals) October 24, 2024

February 6, 2025 – Goal 51 – Goalie: Ivan Fedotov

Ovechkin added another goalie to his total by beating Ivan Fedotov for his 879th career goal on February 6. It tied the game at one at 19:07 of the first period. The Capitals won the game, 4-3.

March 20, 2025 – Goal 52 – Goalie: Sam Ersson

Just over two weeks ago, Ovechkin was still seven goals from tying Gretzky’s record and eight from breaking it. But he got his 888th career goal at 14:25 of the first period for his 52nd career goal against the Flyers. The Capitals won the game, 3-2.

Ovechkin’s 52 career goals against the Flyers have come against 14 different goaltenders. Ovechkin has scored on 183 different goalies, an NHL record. In addition to the 14 goalies that Ovechkin scored on for the Flyers, there are several former Flyers also on the list of goalies in Ovechkin’s book, including Cam Talbot, Martin Jones, Mike McKenna, Sean Burke, Brian Boucher, Garth Snow, Calvin Pickard, and Michael Leighton.

In addition, the Flyers and Capitals have played 13 playoff games against each other during Ovechkin’s career. Ovechkin has seven goals in those games, including four in a seven-game series that the Flyers won in the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs and three in a six-game series that the Capitals won in the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Ovechkin also has 52 career goals against the Carolina Hurricanes. The only team he has more goals against in his career is the Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets franchise, a total of 57 goals.