Alex Ovechkin tied the NHL record for most career goals, putting him side-by-side with The Great One, Wayne Gretzky.
The Capitals star scored the history-tying goal — the 894th of his career — on Friday when he found the back of the net at the 6:13 mark in the third period against the Blackhawks on home ice at Capital One Arena.
It was his second goal of the night after he notched No. 893 in the first period.
With Washington on the power play in the final frame, the Capitals entered the zone with Ovechkin skating down the left side.
John Carlson fed Ovechkin, who was standing in the left circle before he fired a snap shot past Chicago netminder Spencer Knight.
“I’m still a little shaking and still can’t believe it,” Ovechkin said while sitting next to Gretzky after the Capitals win. “It’s history. It’s great for the game. It’s great to do it here. It’s special.”
Gretzky, on hand to witness the moment in Washington’s 5-3 win, was excited to see his record get tied.
“Alex’s been great for the game, great for Washington, great for his own country [Russia] — it’s wonderful,” he said in a TV interview during the game. “I’m proud of him, I’m proud of what I accomplished. That’s what makes our game so wonderful.”
Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said Ovechkin made one thing clear to him now that he’s one goal away from setting a new record.
“He wants to break the record with a goaltender in the crease, which I appreciate,” Carbery told reporters. “He told me that on the bench, and I just wanted to confirm that he didn’t want to go out. And it’s hard for us as coaches because I just wanted to make sure in that 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, and he wants to break the record and have that moment where he’s shooting the puck past a goalie.”
Capitals owner Ted Leonsis honored Ovechkin with a post on X.
“Loyal, consistent, dependable, and the definition of class,” he wrote. “Alex has tied a record very few people believed would ever be broken. DC believed in him all along, and @ovi8 has delivered.
“Next stop: 895!”
Knight, having allowed some history, said he was not in net for the record-breaker.
“I just guess I’m glad he didn’t get the last one,” Knight told reporters. “But, yeah, it’s cool to see, it’s great for the sport.”
Ovechkin tied the record in the 1,486th game of his career, which began during the 2005-06 season after he was selected first overall in the 2004 NHL Draft by the Capitals.
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) pointing upwards after scoring his 894th goal on April 4, 2025. AP
FBI director is Kash Patel, left, with former NHL player Wayne Gretzky, center, and NHL Commisioner Gary Bettman, right, during the second period of an NHL hockey game between the Chicago Blackhawks and Washington Capitals, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Washington. AP
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) holds up the puck representing his 894th career goal. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Alex Ovechkin (8) waves to the crowd after the game against the Chicago Blackhawks at Capital One Arena. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectHe had been moving closer to tying Gretzky, pulling within three on April 2, scoring his 892nd goal in Carolina — the same city where the 2004 draft took place.
The Caps forward scored the goal with Gretzky in the crowd as The Great One has been traveling with other NHL personnel — including commissioner Gary Bettman — since April 2 so that he could be on hand when Ovechkin broke the record.
Former NHL player Wayne Gretzky, left, with Washington Capitals Alex Ovechkin, right, during a press conference after an NHL hockey game in which Ovechkin tied Gretzky’s NHL career goals record of 894th goals, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Washington. AP
The scoreboard is seen as Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals celebrates after scoring his 894th career goal in the third period against the Chicago Blackhawks at Capital One Arena on April 4, 2025, in Washington, DC. Getty Images
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) with the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Chicago Blackhawks, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Washington. AP
Kings’ Wayne Gretzky waves a record book listing his career goals, presented to him after he set a new NHL career-goal record with his 802nd goal against the Vancouver Canucks, on March 23, 1994. AP“It’s just a matter of time, whether it’s late this year, early next year, whenever. I mean, he’s a great player. He’s a great goal scorer,” Gretzky told NHL.com earlier in the season.
Ovechkin will have a chance to break the record on Sunday afternoon in New York when the Capitals take on the Islanders at UBS Arena.
