Alex Ovechkin Breaks Wayne Gretzky’s All-Time NHL Goals Record

Alex Ovechkin Breaks Wayne Gretzky’s All-Time NHL Goals Record

He did it from the left circle, on the power-play, because that is how it had to be. Alexander Ovechkin unleashed the 6,851st shot of his career with 12:34 to go in the second period on Sunday afternoon, playing against the team that Wayne Gretzky faced in his first two Stanley Cup Finals and the one he scored his 894th goal against back on March 28, 1999.

On this date 21 years ago, the hockey world found out Ovechkin would be a Capital when Washington won the 2004 draft lottery. His NHL debut was delayed a year due to a lockout. He lost another 34 games to a lockout in 2012-13 and another 39 due to consecutive seasons shortened by COVID-19. He broke his leg earlier this season, at 39 years old, and only missed 16 games.

Everyone always knew Ovechkin would be great. The question was to what degree. But even Ovechkin’s biggest supporters when he first arrived in America’s capitol could have never imagined this when the journey began. The number 894 was supposed to stay forever next to Cal Ripken Jr.‘s 2,632 consecutive games played, or Wilt Chamberlin‘s 100-point game with the iconic paper picture to prove it — unbreakable records that countless children would dream about chasing but never come close to besting.

But with his two sons, wife, and the Great One in attendance, Ovechkin moved to the top of a chart he has been rapidly climbing since his career began. For all of the leadership questions and playoff tribulations that defined his first decade, no one could ever knock Ovechkin when it came to this. His goal scoring has been both predictable and absurd, an art of both elegance and power. Everyone knew what was coming, and yet no one could stop with any reasonable consistency.

He was freed to chase this record freely when the weight came off of his shoulders in 2018. In some ways, that was the most unlikely run for Ovechkin to solidify his legacy, with the Capitals unable to win their third straight Presidents’ Trophy, losing three of their four game ones in those playoffs and finding themselves an overtime goal away from a 3-0 series deficit in the first round to the Columbus Blue Jackets and playing back-to-back elimination games in the Eastern Conference Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Winning the championship eliminated any lingering firepower his detractors could hold against him. The chase was unexpectedly fueled by a dominant roster that is sitting atop the Eastern Conference in this Ovechkin’s 20th season. It may not have come at home; Ovechkin scored twice at Capital One Arena on Thursday night to tie Gretzky against the Chicago Blackhawks and had several close calls before the game ended. But other than that, it was hard to think of a better scene than the one that unfolded at UBS Arena, Ovechkin diving onto the ice in jubilation as one of hockey’s greatest records fell.

It was a day of celebration for everyone, maybe even the Islanders given that they still had the lead when Ovechkin’s shot hit the twine. They even scored right after the lengthy, beautiful ceremony that featured Gretzky suggesting he’ll buy Ovechkin a car if he reaches 900 goals and Capitals owner Ted Leonsis wisely waving off Ovechkin’s suggestion that he take the mic, letting the Great Eight speak for himself about a milestone that needs no words.

That Islanders goal after the break was scored by Marc Gatcomb, his second of the game and the eighth of his career, putting him 884 behind Ovechkin. Once upon a time, they were two of the millions of kids who dreamed about being called the greatest. For everyone, that dream was just that — a dream. Well, for everyone except for one.

Follow Us on Twitter! And check out the Vendetta Shop!