Alex Ovechkin scored a hat trick to pick up his season-leading 40th goal in a 4-2 victory comeback victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday. As he approaches 700 career goals, the debate continues on whether or not the Russian superstar could one day become the all-time goals leader.

Ovechkin's 40th goal marked the 11th time in his career that he reached the 40-goal mark, second to only Wayne Gretzky, who accomplished the feat in 12 different seasons. He became the first player to score three hat tricks over the span of six games since 1992-93, when Alexander Mogilny (Buffalo Sabres) and Teemu Selanne (Winnipeg Jets) both accomplished the feat. Of Ovechkin's 27 hat tricks in his career, Tuesday marked his first natural hat trick (scoring three consecutive goals for your team in a game). 

Ovechkin has 14 goals in his last seven games. Since Jan. 13, Ovechkin's 14 goals is the same amount as the Calgary Flames have scored in that span. It is one more than the San Jose Sharks (13) and three more than the Detroit Red Wings (11) for the same duration.

Since Jan. 13, Ovechkin has twice as many goals as anyone else in the league. Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos each have seven goals.

For his career, Ovechkin has scored against 140 different goalies. 39 of his goals have been scored into an empty net.

Ovechkin's 40 goals this season is two more than David Pastrnak (38) of the Boston Bruins and three more than Auston Matthews (37) of the Toronto Maple Leafs. At 34-years-old, Ovechkin is 11 years older than Pastrnak and 12 years older than Matthews.

Sitting at 698 career goals through Tuesday's games, the motivation to increase his total remains. He is two shy of reaching 700 and 10 goals shy of matching Mike Gartner's 708 career goals, The latter would move Ovechkin to seventh on the all-time NHL goals list.

Gretzky holds the all-time goals record at 894. Although Ovechkin remains a far distance from that mark, securing the Maurice Richard Trophy, handed out to the regular-season goals leader, would certainly help Ovechkin in narrowing the gap.