WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex Ovechkin has tied Wayne Gretzky’s NHL goals record by scoring the 894th of his career.
Ovechkin scored his second goal of the Washington Capitals’ game Friday night against the Chicago Blackhawks on the power play with 13:46 left in the third period. And he did so with Gretzky in attendance for the first time during this chase.
Earlier, he got his 893rd to move one away from tying and two from breaking Gretzky’s mark that long seemed unapproachable. The 39-year-old Russian superstar is now one away from breaking it with 10:56 to go in the game and six left to play this season.
On his first of the night, Ovechkin beat Spencer Knight 3:52 in, taking a pass from Dylan Strome behind the net and banking the puck off the far post and the goaltender’s back and in.
After a few seconds, Ovechkin’s personal goal song, “Shake, Rattle & Roll” by Big Joe Turner,” started blaring from arena speakers as mascot Slapshot flipped the counter in one corner from 892 to 893. Fans chanted, “Ovi! Ovi!” before and after play resumed.
Scoring in a fourth consecutive game, Ovechkin reached 40 goals for a 14th time in 20 seasons, which is the most in league history. With his second, he is at 41.
AP NHL
Alex Ovechkin did not take long to move one goal away from tying and two from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record.
Ovechkin beat Spencer Knight 3:52 into the Washington Capitals’ home game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night. He took a pass from Dylan Strome behind the net and banked the puck off the far post and Knight’s back and in.
After a few seconds, Ovechkin’s personal goal song, “Shake, Rattle & Roll” by Big Joe Turner,” started blaring from arena speakers as mascot Slapshot flipped the counter in one corner from 892 to 893. Fans chanted, “Ovi! Ovi!” before and after play resumed.
Ovechkin moved closer to making hockey history with Gretzky in attendance for the first time during the chase.
“I’m so proud of the fact that I’m here tonight,” Gretzky said at first intermission. “The commissioner I talked to the other day, and Alex said don’t come here until I get to two. I thought yesterday, ‘Gosh, we better get on the plane and get up there because he might get three tonight.’ When he scored four minutes in I thought, ‘Oh my God, we might be able to leave after the first period.‘”
Scoring in a fourth consecutive game, Ovechkin reached 40 goals for a 14th time in 20 seasons, which is the most in league history.
“It’s so hard,” said Gretzky, who had 12 40-goal seasons. “I don’t care what era you play in: ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, it’s hard to score goals.”
Ovechkin had a few chances in the second period but missed the net on three shot attempts. The Eastern Conference-leading Capitals have six games left in the regular season with a visit to the New York Islanders up next on Sunday.
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