Ovechkin leaps Bourque for all-time shots mark

Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin is now the NHL’s all-time leader in shots on goal.

Ovechkin’s shot with 11 minutes, 14 seconds remaining in the third period at the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night gave him 6,210 shots on goal in his career in 1,309 games. That topped the total of Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque, who had 6,209 in his 1,612-game NHL career.

Ovechkin increased his career total to 6,211 by game’s end, with the Capitals winning 3-2 in overtime.

The NHL started tracking shots on goal in the 1959-60 season. Ovechkin and Bourque are the only two NHL players to eclipse 6,000 career shots on goal.

The 37-year-old left wing has led the NHL in shots on goal 11 times, including in 10 of Ovechkin’s first 11 seasons.

Ovechkin finished without a goal for the fourth straight game and remains stuck on 800 for his career, one behind Gordie Howe for second all time, while continuing to chase Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record of 894 goals in 1,487 games.

“You just have to play through it,” Ovechkin said. “If I was playing out there and [got] zero chances, yeah, I would be worried. But I have chances. Their goalie played good, and right now it’s important to get two points and keep moving in the standings.”

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.