In an event some hockey fans thought would never happen, Washington Capitals’ player Alex Ovechkin scored career goal number 895 to take over the title of most career goal from “The Great One” Wayne Gretzky! A record that has stood for 31 years.
It happened with 12:34 remaining in the second period in the game against the New York Islanders when Ovechkin took a pass from Tom Wilson and sent a laser shot into the net past Ilya Sorokin and defenseman Jakob Chychrun.
The goal was also historic for Ovechkin who has never scored a goal on Sorokin before. The Islander goalie was the 183rd different goaltender to have an Ovechkin get past them.
Ovechking also has 72 goals in playoff games which do not count toward the total count.
In celebration, Ovechkin took a dive onto the ice as fans chanted Ovi Ovi! Ovi was mobbed by his Capitals teammates. He hugged staff on the bench, waved to the crowd, and did a handshake line with the Islanders while the stage was set for the ceremony.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman opened the ceremony by saying, “Wayne, you’ll always be the ‘Great One’ and you had a record that nobody ever thought would be broken. But Alex, you did it. You’ve been amazing.”
Wayne Gretzky added, “they say records are made to be broken, but I’m not sure who’s going to get more goals than that.”
As Gretzky himself, his wife Janet, Commissioner Bettman, and Ovechkin’s family looking on, Ovechkin said, “I’ve always said, all the time, it’s a team sport. .. Fellas, thank you very much. I love you so much.”
Despite missing 16 games in November and December for a broken leg, Ovechkin has scored over 40 goals this season – his 14th – the most in NHL history.
Ovechkin also owns the records for:
power play goals
shot on goal
most goalies scored against
is the sixth player to have 700 goals and 700 assists – he joins Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Jaromir Jagr, Marcel Dionne and Phil Esposito.
A star in North American hockey, the Russian native even had fans in his native land following his efforts with billboards and goal counters.
Wayne Gretzky broke Gordie Howe’s record in 1994 with goal number 802 and went on to add 92 more before he retired in 1999. Gretzky set the record in 1,487 games over 20 seasons. Gretzky holds another 55 NHL records.