Alex Ovechkin broke the NHL’s all-time goals record on Sunday after scoring on New York Islanders’ goaltender Ilya Sorokin for the first time in his career. Coming into the game, Sorokin was one of just 29 goalies who had faced an Ovechkin shot in either the regular season or the playoffs and never allowed him to score.
Given the extensive list of goalies Ovechkin has made pluck pucks out of their nets — an NHL record 183 — Budweiser Canada honored the rare few that can still say they have never been beaten by The Great 8. To do so, they delivered commemorative “Kings of Zero” cans to the group of Ovechkin-stopping backstops as part of the promotion for their alcohol-free product.
The label on each can reads, “The greatest goal scorer of all time couldn’t score on you,” and includes jersey numbers specific to each goalie. Every can also includes the number of Ovechkin shots that the goalie saved and a goalie mask logo surrounded by text that reads “nothing got past you.”
Curtis Joseph, one of only three Vezina finalists on the list of 28, was the first to show off his can. Joseph played just 5:57 of a game against the Capitals and Ovechkin on March 24, 2009, and was still forced into nine saves, two from Ovechkin shots.
The NHL Alumni Association collected responses and videos from two other goalies, the first being Manny Legace. Only three goalies out of the 28 on the list stopped more Ovechkin shots than Legace’s 14.
“Congratulations, Ovi, for breaking the record and becoming the great goal scorer of all time,” Legace said. “Never thought that record would ever be broken. I also want to thank you for taking it easy on me. Zero goals and 14 shots in the chest. Congratulations again, Ovi. You deserve it.”
Ovechkin’s first game against Legace came in 2007 when the goaltender was on the St. Louis Blues. They played against one another two more times a few years later when Legace moved to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Mike Condon, who is behind just Michal Neuvirth in saves on the list with 18 in seven games played, also sent in a response. Condon played his games against Ovechkin with the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens from 2015-2018.
“Congrats, Ovi, on 895,” Condon said. “That’s a significant number, but as all my fellow goalies would attest, zero is a much more significant number. And, I’m really glad that they don’t count preseason.”
One goalie not lucky enough to be on the list, Eddie Lack, who gave up four goals to Ovechkin, also chimed in on the promotion.
“This is bullshit,” Lack tweeted. “If I knew there was beers involved I would’ve tried harder.”
Joseph, Legace, and Condon are all no longer playing, but 11 of the goalies on the list are still active and on an NHL roster. Ovechkin could still trim a few off in the final year of his contract with the Capitals next season and take their cans for himself.
