Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) takes on the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday in Washington, D.C.
Nick Wass/AP
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Nick Wass/AP
WASHINGTON — Alex Ovechkin got here into Friday night time’s sport three targets shy of the magic quantity that has loomed over this hockey season: 895. Two targets would tie the outdated report of 894, set again in 1999 by the good Wayne Gretzky. A 3rd would break it.
For now, although, a brand new report should wait: Ovechin scored two targets and now shares the report with Gretzky. The Washington Capitals have six video games remaining this common season.
At 39 years outdated, Ovechkin’s pursuit of the Gretzky targets report has drawn the entire hockey world’s consideration — and the presence of Gretzky himself at Washington’s Capital One Area on Friday night time.
A video display screen that includes a picture of Russian hockey star Alex Ovechkin and declaring “Ovechkin is All the time the First!” stands subsequent to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.
Alexander Nemenov/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
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Alexander Nemenov/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
Ovechkin’s first purpose of the night time got here not even 4 minutes into the sport, a one-timer in entrance of the online off a go from teammate Dylan Strome. Then, his second was scored on an influence play within the third interval. Afterward, as the group roared and his teammates rapped their sticks on the boards, Ovechkin took a lap across the ice within the highlight.
Ovechkin’s 41 targets this season are tied for second-most throughout the league — though he was sidelined for a month after breaking his leg in a collision with an opponent throughout a sport in November.
And virtually each different participant on the leaderboard is a decade youthful than Ovechkin, whose longevity and consistency have put him on a tier that few different gamers can declare. For many gamers, scoring 40 or extra targets in a single season can be a profession spotlight — for Ovechkin, that is his 14th season doing so. He’s the primary participant in NHL historical past to tally a minimum of three 40-goal seasons on the age of 35 or older.
Gretzky first claimed the targets report in 1994, when he handed Gordie Howe’s outdated report of 801. Gretzky then performed for 5 extra seasons, lastly retiring in 1999 with a profession whole of 894 targets.
Wayne Gretzky acknowledges the followers at Capital One Area throughout the sport between the Washington Capitals and the Chicago Blackhawks.
Bruce Bennett/Getty Photographs
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Bruce Bennett/Getty Photographs
Like a lot of Gretzky’s data, the targets report was as soon as regarded as untouchable.
Ovechkin was drafted by the Washington Capitals in 2004. He was a scorer from the start, main the league in targets in 9 totally different seasons. However the place many hockey gamers’ scoring skill fades through the years, Ovechkin saved scoring. And ultimately, commentators and followers puzzled if Gretzky’s report could possibly be close by.
“Once I broke Gordie’s report, my dad instructed me that very same night time, ‘You would be as proud because the man that breaks your report,’ ” Gretzky mentioned Friday. “It is actually been an exquisite journey for everybody.”
“From Beliveau to Howe, Orr, Lemieux, Messier, you go it down,” he mentioned. “If somebody breaks Alex’s report, I hope Alex is there to shake his hand. However proper now, I hope Alex enjoys it. And he deserves all of the credit score and accolades he is getting.”
Alex Ovechkin warms up previous to a sport towards the Chicago Blackhawks at Capital One Area.
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Bruce Bennett/Getty Photographs
