Alex Ovechkin tied Wayne Gretzky’s NHL all-time record when he scored the 894th of his career for the Washington Capitals at 6:14 of the third period in their game against the Chicago Blackhawks at Capital One Arena on Friday night.
He entered the game with 892 goals, then moved within one of Gretzky’s mark when he beat Spencer Knight to give the Capitals a 1-0 lead 3:52 into the first period. After missing twice on Grade A chances late in the second period, he tied Gretzky’s mark with a trademark one-timer from the left circle on the power play, giving Washington a 4-3 lead. It was his 324th power-play goal, extending his own NHL record.
The packed house of 18,573 erupted as the puck hit the back of the net, and Ovechkin’s teammates streamed off the bench to congratulate him. The goal came in his 1,486th NHL game, one less than Gretzky played in his career.
Ovechkin wasn’t on the ice when rookie Ryan Leonard scored his first NHL goal with 1:36 remaining to provide insurance in the 5-3 win. Knight made a brilliant save with just over a minute left to keep Ovi from passing Gretzky. His first chance for goal No. 895 will come Sunday afternoon when the Capitals visit the New York Islanders.
The Caps mobbed Ovechkin after the final buzzer, and the Blackhawks lined up at center ice to shake his hand and congratulate him.
“It was something special to do it here, in front of family and friends, and with Wayne here,” Ovechkin said in a postgame, on-ice interview. “It was a tremendous atmosphere (in the building). I’m glad I did it here — got the tying goal.”
Goal No. 893 came when Ovechkin got to the front of the net, pushed away from defenseman Alex Vlasic to give himself some space and then snapped a pass from Dylan Strome past Knight for his 40th of the season – the 14th time in his career he’s scored at least 40 or more goals in a season, extending his own NHL record. Ovechkin is the first player in NHL history with at least three 40-goal seasons at age 35 or older
Ovechkin is tied with Gretzky and Mike Bossy for the most 50-goal seasons with nine. He also extended his own League record for most goals in the month of April – he now has 74.
Strome’s assist on No. 893 was his 20th on Ovechkin’s 40 goals this season, the most of anyone on the Capitals. Nicklas Backstrom, Ovechkin’s longtime center, has assisted on 279 of his goals, by far the most of anyone he’s played with in his 20 NHL seasons. Defenseman John Carlson, who assisted on Ovechkin’s milestone goal, is second with 161, the most by any of his current teammates.
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Alex Ovechkin scores goal No. 894, ties Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record
Gretzky scored the 894th and final goal of his NHL career on March 29, 1999, the game-winner for the New York Rangers in their 3-1 victory against the New York Islanders at Madison Square Garden. The Great One did not score in his final eight games of the 1998-99 season before retiring.
No. 99 was in the building Friday to see Ovechkin tie his record – a mark few people thought would be equaled or broken.
“Alex is great for the game, great for Washington and great for his country,” Gretzky told Monumental Network after Ovechkin tied his record. When asked about Ovechkin coming up big in big situations, Gretzky replied, “That’s what makes him a superstar.”
Gretzky wasn’t among those doubting that Ovechkin could do it. He was an early believer in Ovechkin’s bid and has been a supporter of No. 8 for a long time. The 64-year-old said at the 2020 NHL All-Star Game in St. Louis that Ovechkin had “a great chance” to break the goal record, and that he was rooting for him.
Ovechkin, the No. 1 pick in the 2004 NHL Draft by the Capitals, is an admirer of Gretzky’s as well.
“His skill, his vision, how he feels the game, how he looked at the game, everything was different,” Ovechkin told NHL.com.
Gretzky broke Gordie Howe’s record for NHL regular-season goals by scoring his 802nd when he played for the Los Angeles Kings against the Vancouver Canucks on March 23, 1994. It took him another five years to overtake Howe in professional goals (counting their time in the World Hockey Association). Howe scored 1,071 in the regular season and playoffs during his six WHA seasons and 27 NHL seasons.
Gretzky’s final goal was his 1,072nd professional goal. He had 894 NHL regular-season goals in 20 seasons with the Edmonton Oilers, Kings, St. Louis Blues and Rangers, 122 Stanley Cup Playoff goals, 46 regular-season goals in his one WHA season with Indianapolis and Edmonton in 1978-79, and 10 WHA playoff goals.
But unlike Ovechkin, who has more goals than assists (724), Gretzky was much more of a playmaker than a scorer. He has more assists (1,963) than any other player in League history has points – Jaromir Jagr is second with 1,921 points. Even when Gretzky set the NHL single-season record by scoring 92 goals in 80 games in 1981-82, he was also tops with 120 assists.