WASHINGTON — The Great One’s got company.
A record long considered impossible to catch — even by Alex Ovechkin himself — now belongs to a pair of greats after Ovechkin scored career goals No. 893 and 894 Friday night to move into a tie with Wayne Gretzky as one of two greatest goal-scorers the game has ever seen.
It’s a record Ovechkin has been destined to reach since joining Gretzky and the legendary Gordie Howe in the 800-goal club in December 2022, a record he’s zeroed in on since passing Howe on the all-time list shortly after. And it’s a record Gretzky is happy to share — at least for a day, anyway.
“I can live with that for 24 more hours,” Gretzky said with a smile post-game as he sat alongside Ovechkin before a Gr8 Chase backdrop. “I can still say I’m tied for the most.”
Ovechkin admitted he still felt shaky, was still in disbelief that he’d caught the historic milestone. That he did it at home, with friends and family and teammates past and present surrounding him, on a night that began with a commemorative ceremony with members of the 2018 Cup champs? That all made an extremely special moment for him, and for hockey, that much more memorable.
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Ovechkin’s chase for NHL goals record
Alex Ovechkin has tied Wayne Gretzky for most goals in NHL history and is looking to break the record before the end of the season. Keep up with Ovechkin as he chases goal No. 895 and watch every Capitals game on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.
“It’s nice that my family is here, my mom, my wife, my kids, father-in-law, lots of friends came from lots of different cities,” said Ovechkin. “It’s history. It’s great for the game. It’s great to do it here. It’s special.”
It almost felt scripted in its perfection.
The chase for goal No. 895 really picked up its pace this season, and down the stretch run really caught fire. So focused has the hockey world been on that sole goal to place No. 8 atop hockey’s goal-scoring pedestal, but perhaps it’s fitting that we are allowed a moment to recognize both. To savour the fact that greatness is not a solo affair. (Or, perhaps this was the Hockey Gods’ way of toying with everyone’s heart rates just a little longer.)
Goal No. 893 came less than four minutes into Friday’s game as Dylan Strome carried the puck behind the net and found an open Ovechkin camped out front, just far enough from the blue paint to set up a signature one-timer that pinged off the left post and past Blackhawks goaltender Spencer Knight.
The arena erupted, not just because it was another goal closer to history but because there was an overwhelming sense that it wouldn’t be his only marker of the evening. Gretzky joked during an intermission chat with reporters that he thought he might be in for an early night if Ovechkin kept up that pace.
He scored the historic 894th goal early in the third on a play everyone knew was coming when Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard was called for holding on Capitals rookie Ryan Leonard. Ovechkin set up shop in his favourite spot at the left faceoff dot and one-timed a perfect pass from John Carlson.
And in that moment, the man known for his joyful, enthusiastic celebrations — almost as much as he is for the goals that precede them — was himself well-celebrated. His teammates burst from the bench, streaming across the ice to embrace him. Upon emerging from the roster-sized bear hug, Ovi skated straight across the width of the rink to high-five his son through the glass. He waved to his family, bowed in the direction of Gretzky looking on, and raised an arm at centre ice, savouring the moment at home.
At that point, goal No. 895 felt almost inevitable. And it almost was. He had the record-breaking puck on his stick with just over four minutes to go, in all alone after a pass from Strome, but couldn’t finish the play. Fans were on their feet, chanting his name, when they saw the Blackhawks’ empty net near the end of the game. But as head coach Spencer Carbery explained post-game Friday, an empty-netter wasn’t what Ovechkin wanted.
“He wants to break the record with a goaltender in the crease, which I appreciate,” Carbery said post-game. “He told me that on the bench, and I just wanted to confirm to make sure that he didn’t want to go out, being at home — and it’s hard, right? Because for us, as coaches, and me, I just want to make sure, ‘Are you sure, in this moment, hat trick, at home…?’ And he didn’t want to go out and score on an empty net to break the record.
“We have six games left, he wants to break the record and have that moment be where he’s shooting the puck past a goalie,” said Carbery. “And I have a lot of appreciation for that.”
Ovechkin’s decision opened the door for a different kind of milestone goal in D.C. as Leonard cashed in when he carried the puck down the ice and put it between the pipes for his first career goal as a pro just three games into NHL life.
But when Knight returned to the crease following Washington’s go-ahead go?
“Oh, he absolutely wanted to get back out on the ice,” Carbery said with a laugh. That final 1:36 of Friday’s 5-3 win was not for the faint of heart.
A shot sent wide left with just over a minute to go had Ovechkin looking skyward. Another shot followed 15 seconds later, boos raining down on Knight for daring to snag it glove-side. A snap-shot wide right off the ensuing face-off. Another, 45 seconds after that.
“You could tell he was determined to find a way to score a goal there,” said Carbery of those nerve-wracking final seconds with Ovechkin in hot pursuit.
“You can feel it. I mean, people in the building can feel it. I can feel it on the bench. When he gets into a spot, he is determined to score — and he just continues to get himself into good spots,” he said.
He’ll continue that search Sunday against the Islanders.
During the team’s morning skate prior to Friday’s matchup, everybody was talking about the goal that will make history. But what about the assist to set it up?
“I think if you have a chance to pass it to him, you’re gonna wanna pass it to him,” Capitals forward Tom Wilson said with a laugh earlier Friday, a glimpse into the team’s mindset following the morning skate.
“If there’s a play that’s open, most guys will try and make the right play but if he’s open or if there’s a chance you can get the puck to him, obviously you’re gonna try at this point to set up one of the best goal-scorers,” he says. “Once you get it into his hands, usually good things will happen.”
That’s been true Ovechkin’s entire career — 894 goals is proof of that — and it was true Friday night for Strome, who set up the first of the night, and Carlson, who assisted on both, and called his involvement in Ovechkin’s history-making marker meant to be.
“I’m thrilled. I don’t take it lightly, but it’s a special moment between us two, that have been together for so long,” Carlson said post-game, in a locker room already bearing the evidence (and a few beer cans) of a the club’s celebration.
Only Nicklas Backstrom, who was in attendance Friday, has assisted on more Ovechkin goals (279) than Carlson (158).
“I think this night would be extremely memorable regardless, but certainly that’s a nice touch after so many years with the guy,” said Carlson.
“The greats are the great are the greats,” he continued, in praise of his captain’s accomplishment, and anticipating another to come. “Just finding a way to do it, and to do it in theatre and in style, and tonight was no different.”
There will soon be another celebration on the horizon for the Capitals, who head to Long Island for a Sunday matinee — and maybe history, if Ovechkin can keep this streak going. The next goal takes the crown. And if it plays out anything like Friday night in Washington, it’ll be pure theatre.
But for now, we recognize this snapshot in hockey history. After all, why shouldn’t we savour this moment, this great chase, just a little bit longer?
