WASHINGTON — Alex Ovechkin has tied Wayne Gretzky’s NHL goals record by scoring the 894th of his career, setting off a wild celebration on the ice with his teammates and chants of “Ovi! Ovi!” in the crowd that included the “Great One” himself.
Ovechkin scored on the power play with 13:46 left Friday night, stopping the game while fans rose to their feet to applaud the longtime Washington Capitals captain. Clearly emotional, he skated several laps around center ice asking for more cheers, then returned to the bench where he blew kisses to members of his family in a suite.
A video montage of Ovechkin’s path to 894 played on arena video boards during the next stoppage in play.
The Capitals went on to win 5-3, with Ovechkin’s goal proving the game-winner. He now has the most game-winners in NHL history (136), passing Jaromir Jagr.
Ovechkin can break Gretzky’s record Sunday when Washington visits the New York Islanders.
With Gretzky in attendance for the first time during this chase, Ovechkin gave him and nearly everyone else in the building reason to cheer early by scoring his 893rd goal less than four minutes in. He took a pass from Dylan Strome behind the net and banking the puck off the far post and goaltender Spencer Knight‘s back and in.
After a few seconds, Ovechkin’s personal goal song, “Shake, Rattle & Roll” by Big Joe Turner,” started blaring from arena speakers as mascot Slapshot flipped the counter in one corner from 892 to 893.
Gretzky addressed Ovechkin’s pursuit earlier in the game before the two greats drew even atop hockey’s goals list. He had held the record by himself for 11,334 days, since March 23, 1994.
“I’m so proud of the fact that I’m here tonight,” Gretzky said at first intermission. “The commissioner I talked to the other day, and Alex said don’t come here until I get to two. I thought yesterday, ‘Gosh, we better get on the plane and get up there because he might get three tonight.’ When he scored four minutes in I thought, ‘Oh my God, we might be able to leave after the first period.'”
Scoring in a fourth consecutive game, Ovechkin reached 40 goals for a 14th time in 20 seasons, which is the most in league history. It’s the second 40-goal season ever by a player age 39 or older, joining Gordie Howe (44 in 1968-69 at age 40).
It also was Ovechkin’s 242nd career first-period goal, breaking a tie with Gretzky for the most in league history.
“It’s so hard,” said Gretzky, who had 12 40-goal seasons. “I don’t care what era you play in: ’50s, ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, it’s hard to score goals.”
The Eastern Conference-leading Capitals have six games left in the regular season.
Information from ESPN Research and The Associated Press was used in this report.
