"It means a lot," Ovechkin told CSN Mid-Atlantic. "It means I'm still on a good pace. Just have to [keep] working hard and keep going."

Ovechkin scored a power-play goal 4:35 into the third period against the Minnesota Wild at Verizon Center, tying the game 2-2. Washington won 3-2.

Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals scored his 40th goal of the season Friday to become the 10th player in NHL history to get 40 or more goals in at least eight seasons.

He has scored in eight of his past 10 games and leads the NHL.

It is the sixth time Ovechkin is the first player to reach 40 goals. Bobby Hull and Phil Esposito are the other players to do that in six seasons.

Wayne Gretzky has the most 40-goal seasons in the NHL (12).

Ovechkin earlier this season scored his 500th NHL goal (Jan. 10) and became the leader among Russian-born players with goal No. 484 (Nov. 19).

Ovechkin, 30, has 515 goals in 818 games during 11 seasons. He did not score 40 goals in 2010-11 (32), 2011-12 (38), and 2012-13 (32).

His NHL career high is 65 in 2007-08. He had 53 last season, his sixth with at least 50.

40-GOAL SEASONS

12 -- Wayne Gretzky (1979-80 to 1990-91)

10 -- Marcel Dionne (1972-73, 1974-75 to 1976-77, 1978-79 to 1982-83, 1984-85)

10 -- Mario Lemieux (1984-85 to 1989-90, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1995-96, 1996-97)

9 -- Mike Bossy (1977-78 to 1985-86)

9 -- Mike Gartner (1980-81, 1983-84, 1984-85, 1986-87, 1987-88, 1989-90 to 1992-93)

8 -- Phil Esposito (1968-69 to 1974-75, 1978-79)

8 -- Brett Hull (1988-89 to 1993-94, 1995-96, 1996-97)

8 -- Bobby Hull (1961-62, 1963-64, 1965-66 to 1968-69, 1970-71, 1971-72)

8 -- Alex Ovechkin (2005-06 to 2009-10, 2013-14 to 2015-16)

8 -- Luc Robitaille (1986-87 to 1993-94)