Washington Capitals’ star Alex Ovechkin set the all time NHL scoring record Sunday, netting his 895th goal on a powerplay to surpass the record held by hockey legend Wayne Gretzky.
Gretzky – also known as the “Great One” – had held the record for over 30 years until Ovechkin scored the goal during the Caps’ away game against the New York Islanders on Sunday (which the Isles would go on to win, 4-1).
After he scored, Ovechkin slid to the ice belly-first and shouted with delight, as fans of both teams roared in support and chanted his name. Ovechkin’s teammates also raced onto the ice following the record-setter, where he was mobbed and the game paused for more than ten minutes for an official celebration. Both benches emptied as the Capitals and Islanders lined up to shake Ovechkin’s hand.
Gretzky joined Ovechkin on the ice alongside Ovechkin’s mother, wife and children, as well as NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, for a mid-game ceremony. Ovechkin said in a TV interview following the game: “What a moment for hockey, what a moment for my family, myself, this organization, my teammates. Obviously, it’s huge.”
Ovechkin set the all time scoring record in his 20th NHL season, playing in 1,487 games. At 39 years old, he is the second-oldest forward in the NHL this year. Gretzky, who was also in his 20th season when he scored his 894th goal, said: “They say that records are made to be broken, but I’m not sure who’s going to get more goals than that.”
As Ovechkin made his way to center ice and applauded the crowd for their support, he poignantly raised his gloves skyward making a gesture to his father Mikhail who died in 2023 at the age of 71. Ovechkin’s mother Tatyana told her son during the ceremony: “Your dad would have been so proud.” (per ESPN).
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