Blues’ Jordan Binnington tries to steal Alex Ovechkin’s 900th goal puck

Alex Ovechkin reached a monumental milestone Wednesday, becoming the first player in NHL history to score 900 career goals. It’s a remarkable achievement that deserves to be celebrated and commemorated, but there was one player on the ice that wanted to spoil the party. St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington, who allowed the goal, tried to steal the historic puck for himself.

After Ovechkin’s spinning backhand found the back of the net, Binnington scooped up the puck and stuffed it down the back of his goalie pants. It took the convincing of official Michael Cormier for Binnington to eventually hand it over.

Unless Binnington really wanted a token to remember his 930th career goal allowed, it certainly seems like a petty move from the veteran netminder. It wouldn’t be the first time Binnington has displayed less-than-sportsmanlike on-ice behaviour. Back in 2022, Binnington essentially clotheslined Jason Zucker of the Pittsburgh Penguins, sticking his glove in front of Zucker’s face as he skated around the net, causing Zucker to wipe out in the corner.

Of course, there was also the incident from the 2022 playoffs, in which Binnington threw a water bottle at the Calgary Flames‘ Nazem Kadri after a collision in the crease that injured the goaltender.

We don’t exactly know the intent behind Binnington’s puck pocketing on Wednesday. Who knows? Maybe he was keeping the puck safe for Ovechkin so he could give it personally to the Washington Capitals star after the game. Maybe he was going to auction it off on eBay as soon as he got home. Either way, it certainly was an odd scene following a historic hockey moment.

As for Ovechkin, he’s basically just competing with himself at this point in the goal-scoring department. He’s already passed Wayne Gretzky as the NHL’s all-time goals leader, and round-number milestones like tonight’s are a reminder that we’re witnessing a true legend.