Maybe Alexander Ovechkin was sick of Ilya Kovalchuk hogging the spotlight. It was just a few days ago where his Russian buddy had scored twice to become the quickest NHL player to 30 goals since Anaheim’s Teemu Selanne did it nearly a decade prior on Dec.22, 1997.

The league released the impressive list after Kovalchuk’s two for No’s 31 and 32 on Dec.27 in a 5-3 defeat to Florida:

First NHL player to score 30 goals (since 1997-98)

2007-08 Ilya Kovalchuk, Atl. December 27
2006-07 Teemu Selanne, Ana. January 18
2005-06 Ilya Kovalchuk, Atl. January 6
2003-04 Rick Nash, CBJ January 24
2002-03 Markus Naslund, Van. January 8
2001-02 Jarome Iginla, Cgy. January 17
2000-01 Markus Naslund, Van. January 24
1999-00 Jaromir Jagr, Pit. December 30
1998-99 John LeClair, Phi. January 30
1997-98 Teemu Selanne, Ana. December 22
 

You can now add Ovechkin’s name to that list as well. He got there in special fashion by notching his first career four-goal game in a wild 8-6 road victory over the Eastern Conference’s best team Ottawa at Scotia Bank Place last night.

The 22 year-old former 2005-06 Calder winner scored a goal each in the three stanzas before putting the exclamation point on his team’s win with a 180-foot empty netter for goal No.4.

The hat trick was his third career and first since ironically enough a 3-2 win over Kovalchuk and the Thrashers over a year ago on Dec.15, 2006.

That he was able to play after suffering a leg cut which needed stitches in a 4-3 OT loss to the Pens Thursday night was proof of just how special and tough the Russian sniper is. Something that wasn’t lost by Washington veteran netminder Olaf Kolzig.

“What impresses me most is that he actually played tonight,” the Caps’ goalie later told the Associated Press.

“If you guys would have seen the gash on his leg and I know a lot of guys were, not begging him but leaning towards, ‘Hey, you think you can play tonight?’ He had a lot of courage and he put on a heck of a show.“   

“I was looking for his skate to cut his other thigh, if that’s what he’s going to do every game,” coach Bruce Boudreau remarked.

A vintage performance by a player who only needs two more goals to reach 130 for his brief career. He’s got 128 already along with 118 assists for 246 points in 202 NHL games. Remarkable.

To watch the highlights of this performance, please check it out below:

Ovechkin puts on show in Ottawa 

We got to run now. Rangers and Habs at the Garden tonight. See ya later. Be sure to tune into our last Hard Hits show of the year!