Alex Ovechkin passes Wayne Gretzky for the NHL career goal record at 895

By Stephen Whyno

New York (AP) – Alex Ovechkin fired roughly the perfect version of his Signature One -Timer who defined his remarkable career. When the washer hit the net, it made him the top scorer in the NHL history.

Ovechkin scored his 895th career goal on Sunday in the Washington capital match against the New York Icelanders, defeating his Russian compatriot Ilya Sorokin on a power game with 12:34 to play in the second period. He took a perfect pass from his longtime teammate Tom Wilson and pulled an absolute laser after Sorokin with defender Jakob Chychrun from the projection.

Ovechkin had never scored on Sorokin before, making his compatriot the 183rd different goalkeeper he beat. He plunged on the ice to celebrate as long as so many fans of capital present have chanted “Ovi!” Ovi! ” of the stands.

Just as they did after marking No. 894, the teammates assaulted Ovechkin, 39, to celebrate the accomplishment, which replaced a record that experienced 31 years. Ovechkin then embraced team equipment and training staff on the bench, made a sign of thanks to recognize the crowd and crossed a handshake with the Icelanders while the crew members were set up for the ceremony.

“Wayne, you will always be the” big “and you had a record that no one ever thought was broken,” said the NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, to open the festivities. “But Alex, you did it. You were incredible.”

Gretzky congratulated Ovechkin and his family for accomplishment, adding: “They say that records are made to be broken, but I’m not sure that will get more objectives than that.”

With Gretzky, the wife Janet, Bettman and the woman, the mother and the two sons of Ovechkin standing nearby, Ovechkin addressed the crowd and said: “I always said, all the time, it’s a team sport. … Fellas, thank you very much.”

More “ovi!” The songs followed. Many others arrive while he will try to reach 900.

The total of 894 goals from Gretzky had long seemed inaccessible. Ovechkin spent it even after missing 16 games in November and December due to a broken left leg, a testimony of its sustainability and a talent to put the washer in the net regularly for two decades. He has exceeded 40 goals this season for the 14th time – two more than Gretzky and also the most in the history of the League.

Even before that, Ovechkin had the NHL records for power gaming goals, penalties and the most guards scored against, now adding Sorokin to this list. Only Gretzky has more multi-goal matches, and Ovechkin earlier this season has not become the sixth player with 700 goals and 700 assists, joining Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Jarumir Jagr, Marcel Dionne and Phil Esposito.

Ovechkin increased the list of goals of all time for the last time on December 23, 2022, when he obtained the 801 and 802 numbers to equalize and pass Howe.

The pursuit of the big 8, a nickname honoring its jersey number, drew the attention of North America to Ovechkin’s native Russia, where the display panels and the counters applauded and followed its efforts. It helped Ovechkin that his team is one of the best in the NHL this season, defying expectations.

Gretzky broke the Howwe record just over 31 years ago since he scored 802 on March 23, 1994. He added 92 more before retiring in 1999 after a total of 1,487 games out of 20 seasons.

Even with this falling to Ovechkin – who said he was excited – Gretzky holds 55 NHL records, and two seem really untouchable: 2,857 total points and 1,963 assists, the latter is more than anyone who has goals and combined aids.

For the aims of the NHL qualifiers, which do not count for the record, Gretzky has the most (122). Ovechkin has 72. Gretzky also had 56 others in the regular season and in the World Hockey Association playoffs, while Ovechkin has 57 of his time in the KHL, the best League in Russia.

The return to Russia to play in front of the family and friends is an option at one point for Ovechkin, which has a season after this on the $ 47.5 million contract over five years which he signed in 2021, which brought him at the age of 40 to give him enough time to hunt Gretzky’s file. Instead, he did it earlier than anyone could have expected realistically.

Originally published: April 6, 2025 at 11:46 a.m.