Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals surpassed Wayne Gretzky as the NHL’s all-time scoring leader with his 895th goal against the New York Islanders on Sunday.
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For Alex Ovechkin, the goal in Sunday’s game came just like so many before it did — on the power play, from the top of the left faceoff circle, a powerful shot right to the goal.
But this one was history. For the Washington Capitals star, this 895th goal of his regular season career makes him the NHL’s new all-time scoring leader after Wayne Gretzky, the “Great One,” held the record for more than 30 years.
After he scored, Ovechkin slid to the ice belly-first and shouted with delight as his teammates raced onto the ice in a joyous mob. And the crowd — even at an away game against the New York Islanders — roared and chanted his name.
The game paused for more than ten minutes for an official celebration as soon as Ovechkin scored. Both benches emptied as the teams, Capitals and Islanders alike, lined up to shake Ovechkin’s hand. And Gretzky joined Ovechkin on the ice, along with Ovechkin’s family and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, for a mid-game ceremony.
“I could tell you firsthand I know how hard it is to get to 894,” Gretzky said. “895 is pretty special.”
“They say records are made to be broken, but I’m not sure who’s going to get more goals than that,” Gretzky joked.
Ovechkin’s chase for Gretzky’s record had come to be the headliner story of the entire NHL season. Last Friday, he scored two goals to tie the record at home in Washington. Afterward, prices for tickets to Sunday’s game in New York had soared to $1,000 or more, as fans raced for the opportunity to see history.
At 39 years old, Ovechkin is the second-oldest forward in the NHL this season, his 20th. And he has scored goals this season at the same clip as he did when he was a 20-year-old rookie — almost two goals every three games.
Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals celebrates with teammates after scoring his 895th career goal during the second period against the New York Islanders to become the NHL all-time goals leader on Sunday in Elmont, New York.
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His combination of durability and production allowed him to continue scoring goals at a rate far higher than almost any other player in their 30s — and higher than most players in the league at all.
With Sunday’s goal, Ovechkin has scored 42 goals this season, third-most league-wide — despite having broken his leg in a game in November, an injury that forced him to miss 16 games, the longest injury pause of his career. (The other five top-scoring players this season are all in their 20s.)
“What a moment for hockey, what a moment for my family, myself, this organization, my teammates. Obviously, it’s huge,” Ovechkin said in a TV interview with Monumental Sports Network during the game.
