GOTTA SEE IT: Ovechkin Hits Double Post In Hardest Shot Challenge

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is closing in on Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record and has stunned the league for years with his lethal shot and wicked accuracy. Things played out differently for the 37-year-old, though, in the Hardest Shot Challenge at the 2023 NHL All-Star Skills Competition.

On his first hardest shot attempt, Ovechkin fired a blistering slapshot but in a shocking turn of events, hit both posts. The puck went off the left post first, then hit the right before bouncing back out into the crease.

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The star winger ultimately finished in fourth place with a 95.1 MPH shot on his second try. Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson won with a 103.2 MPH. Ovechkin won the challenge in 2018 with a 101.3 MPH shot.

Although the Hardest Shot competition didn't go his way, Ovechkin did win one event at the skills competition with a joint victory in the Breakaway Challenge. He and Sidney Crosby, with help from Ovechkin's son, Sergei put on a show and teamed up for the challenge. "Ovi Jr." ended up scoring on Roberto Luongo off a give-and-go play with Ovechkin and Crosby on a 3-on-0 breakaway.

Ovechkin has 32 goals through 52 games this season and passed Gordie Howe for second on the NHL's all-time goals list back on Dec. 23 against the Winnipeg Jets. He sits at 812 career goals, 83 away from breaking Gretzky's record of 894.