Wayne Gretzky and Alex Ovechkin (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Alex Ovechkin is making history right before our eyes. On Friday, in a game against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Washington Capitals forward scored his 893rd and 894th career regular-season goals, tying Wayne Gretzky’s legendary NHL record. Gretzky himself was in the arena, watching alongside NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and cheering Ovechkin on.
When Ovechkin scored goal number 894 in the third period, the crowd erupted and cheered for several minutes. He had a few more chances later in the game to score goal 895, but it didn’t happen this time. Ovechkin now has six games left this season to pass Gretzky — who, before the game against Chicago, had actually encouraged Alex to get it done that night.
“Before the game, Gretzky texted me and said, ‘Just go ahead and score three goals tonight so we can end this chase,’” Ovechkin told a group of Russian-speaking reporters after the game. “It would’ve been cool to do it today. I had some moments, but…"
The Capitals’ next game is on the road against the New York Islanders on Sunday — and Gretzky plans to be there again.
“Two years ago when people said to me, ‘Do you think Alex is going to break the record?’ I said, ‘It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when,’” Gretzky said at the postgame press conference. “And when he does, I’m going to be there. And so I’m here.”
Ovechkin’s 894th goal was also his 136th game-winner, breaking his tie with Jaromir Jagr for the most in NHL history. He’s now scored 41 goals in 60 games this season — 19 of them in his last 26 games, including a four-game goal streak with five total goals. He also became the first player in NHL history with at least three 40-goal seasons at the age of 35 or older.
Sergey Demidov
