Alexander Ovechkin sends the referee into the bench against the New Jersey Devils

Ovechkin is known for delivering powerful hits in the NHL and this one will be one to remember. In the Washington Capitals season opener for the 2024/25 campaign against the New Jersey Devils, Ovechkin delivered a memorable hit that had fans buzzing. While attempting to check Devils forward Tomas Tatar along the boards Ovechkin inadvertently caused referee Bryan Pancich who was trying to avoid the collision to tumble into the Devils bench. The Devils players were caught off guard unsure how to react as the official ended up in their laps. Fortunately Pancich found the humor in the situation laughing it off as the game continued.

The moment quickly became a hit on social media with fans sharing the hilarious clip. It's not every day you see a referee sent flying into the bench & the reactions from the Devils players only added to the fun.

While the hit might not have been the most impactful in terms of gameplay it certainly provided a lighthearted & viral moment to kick off the season. Meanwhile Ovechkin remains focused on his ultimate goal which is chasing down Wayne Gretzky's all time goal scoring record. This incident however shows he's still making headlines in more ways than one.

Stay tuned as we keep an eye on Alexander Ovechkin's chase for Wayne Gretzky's goal scoring record.