NEW YORK — Alex Ovechkin fired simply concerning the good shot from the place on the ice that has outlined his outstanding profession. When the puck hit the online, it made him the highest objective scorer in NHL historical past.
Ovechkin broke Wayne Gretzky’s document by scoring his 895th profession objective within the Washington Capitals’ recreation Sunday in opposition to the New York Islanders, beating fellow Russian Ilya Sorokin on an influence play with 12:34 left within the second interval. He took a cross-ice go from longtime teammate Tom Wilson and fired a laser previous Sorokin with defenseman Jakob Chychrun screening.
Capitals coach Spencer Carbery referred to as it “the final word goal-scorer’s objective for the best of all time.”
With the thrill of a kid, the 39-year-old stomach flopped onto the ice as tens of hundreds of followers round him cheered and chanted, “Ovi! Ovi!” whereas teammates streamed off the bench, mobbing him in celebration.
“I’m in all probability gonna want a pair extra days or possibly a pair weeks to comprehend what does it imply to be No. 1,” Ovechkin stated after a 4-1 loss that was nonetheless a celebration for the Capitals. “I’m actually proud for myself. I’m actually proud for my household, for all my teammates that assist me to succeed in that milestone and for all my coaches. It’s large. It’s unbelievable. It’s unbelievable second, and I’m blissful.”
Ovechkin had by no means scored on Sorokin earlier than, making his countryman the 183rd totally different goaltender he has crushed. “Thanks to Sorokin to let me rating 895,” Ovechkin stated. “I like you, brother.” Ovechkin requested him for the stick, and Sorokin obliged after writing “895!” and signing it.
That any participant acquired to 895 objectives, breaking a document that stood for 31 years, appeared unreal to these in the course of it.
“It’s really unimaginable,” stated heart Dylan Strome, who acquired the secondary help for passing the puck to Wilson. “Generally these moments occur the place you’ve sort of acquired to pinch your self to consider that you simply’re actually on this second and actually on the ice celebrating or part of it, and it was superior.”
Ovechkin broke a document that gave the impression to be one of the crucial untouchable in sports activities. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman made certain to level that out when he opened the 10-minute ceremony to have fun the milestone.
“Wayne, you’ll at all times be the ‘Nice One’ and also you had a document that no person ever thought could be damaged,” Bettman stated. “However Alex, you probably did it.”
The primary to get hugs from Ovechkin had been longtime gear managers Craig “Woody” Leydig and Brock Myles, together with the remainder of the coaching and locker room workers who’ve been round him so lengthy. Ovechkin waved to acknowledge the group and went via a handshake line with the Islanders as crew members arrange for the 895 ceremony that has been months within the making.
Ovechkin acquired a portrait of himself and Gretzky. Janet Gretzky introduced a present to Ovechkin’s spouse, Nastya, simply as Colleen Howe did to her when her husband broke Gordie’s document again in 1994. Ovechkin acquired No. 895 in his 1,487th recreation — the identical quantity Gretzky completed with.
Gretzky shook Ovechkin’s hand, embraced him and congratulated the “Nice 8” and his household for the accomplishment.
“They are saying data are made to be damaged, however I’m unsure who’s going to get extra objectives than that,” Gretzky stated.
Ovechkin took the microphone from Gretzky like a torch being handed from one legend of the sport to a different. He thanked injured teammates Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie, with whom he received the Stanley Cup in 2018, and expressed his affection for his spouse, mom and two sons standing close by.
“We did it, boys. We did it,” Ovechkin stated. “And crucial factor, to my mother, my household, my stunning spouse, my father-in-law, my stunning children, thanks. I like you a lot, and with out you, with out your help I might by no means stand right here.”
Extra “Ovi!” chants adopted. A lot extra will probably be coming as he makes an attempt to succeed in 900.
Gretzky’s whole of 894 objectives had lengthy appeared unapproachable. Ovechkin handed it even after lacking 16 video games in November and December due to a damaged left leg, a testomony to his sturdiness and a knack for placing the puck within the web persistently for twenty years. He surpassed 40 objectives this season for a 14th time — two greater than Gretzky and likewise probably the most in league historical past — and now has 42.
“To do what he’s doing at this age is unimaginable,” stated longtime teammate John Carlson, who assisted on tying objective No. 894. “I feel persons are sleeping on that, too. Simply, like, he missed two months and he may rating 50 objectives. Like that’s nuts. It’s loopy.”
The chase by the Nice 8, a nickname honoring his jersey quantity, captured consideration from North America to Ovechkin’s native Russia, the place billboards and objective counters cheered on and tracked his effort. It helped Ovechkin that his crew is likely one of the finest within the NHL this season, defying expectations.
Gretzky broke Howe’s document just a little greater than 31 years in the past, since he scored 802 on March 23, 1994. He added 92 extra earlier than retiring in 1999 after a complete of 1,487 video games over 20 seasons.
Even with this one falling to Ovechkin, Gretzky holds 54 NHL data, and two appear really untouchable: 2,857 whole factors and 1,963 assists, the latter of which is greater than anybody else has in objectives and assists mixed.
For NHL playoff objectives, which don’t depend towards the document, Gretzky has probably the most (122). Ovechkin has 72. Gretzky additionally had one other 56 within the World Hockey Affiliation common season and playoffs, whereas Ovechkin has 57 from his time within the KHL, Russia’s high league.
Returning to Russia to play in entrance of household and buddies is an choice sooner or later for Ovechkin, who has one season left after this one on the five-year, $47.5 million contract he signed in 2021, which took him via age 40 to provide him sufficient time to chase Gretzky’s document. As an alternative, he acquired it accomplished earlier than simply about anybody may have realistically anticipated.
