(Sports Network) - Washington Capitals (web|news) left wing Alexander Ovechkin has won the Hart Trophy as the NHL's Most Valuable Player. The 22-year-old Ovechkin -- the first Washington player to ever win the Hart Trophy -- led the league in both goals (65) and overall points (112) and in the process also captured the Maurice Richard and Art Ross Trophies. This was the first time in Ovechkin's brief career that he has been nominated for the award, which he captured in favor of Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin and Calgary forward Jarome Iginla, who was up for the honor for the third time in his career.

Ovechkin led a fierce late-season rally by the Capitals, who vaulted from the Eastern Conference cellar in late November to the Southeast Division title. He garnered 128 of 134 first-place votes and 1,313 total voting points. Malkin finished second with 659 points (one first-place vote) followed by Iginla with 565 points (2).

"Next year is going to be a big year for the Capitals -- I want to win the Stanley Cup," said Ovechkin.

Malkin ended second behind Ovechkin in scoring in 2007-08 with 47 goals and 59 assists. He and fellow star Sidney Crosby, who won the Hart last season, form the best young 1-2 scoring punch in the league for Pittsburgh, which lost in six games in the Stanley Cup title round to Detroit.

The veteran Iginla finished second in Hart voting in 2002 (Jose Theodore) and 2004 (Marty St. Louis), and had another outstanding offensive campaign. The Flames sniper scored 50 goals

Ovechkin's head coach Bruce Boudreau, who ignited the Caps' turnaround after he took over behind the bench at Thanksgiving, also took home a piece of hardware on Thursday night. He won the Jack Adams Award as the top coach.

"I am happy for him," Ovechkin said. "I thought he would win it and I thought he deserved it."



Copyright 2008 The Sports Network
All rights reserved