Alexander Ovechkin broke Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record for most goals in a career on Sunday afternoon, surpassing the Great One’s long-standing mark of 894 tallies.
Under the eyes of the hockey world, including Gretzky in attendance at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, the Washington Capitals superstar scored on the New York Islanders, to become the new all-time leader with 895 goals.
It was a wrist shot from the faceoff circle, past Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin in the second period.
It came two days after Ovechkin had tied the record on Friday in Washington with a thrilling two-goal performance against the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Capitals emptied the bench to embrace Ovechkin after he scored the record-breaker. The NHL stopped the game to commemorate the moment with an on-ice ceremony, featuring Ovechkin’s family, Gretzky and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.
His teammates rushed onto the ice to celebrate the tying goal as well. A lengthy in-game standing ovation ensued Friday night in Washington, with fans chanting his name and Ovechkin blowing kisses.
Ovechkin netted the record-breaker in the 1,487th game of his career; the same as Gretzky’s career total.
A timeline of Alexander Ovechkin’s hockey career
Then playing for the Los Angeles Kings, Gretzky broke Howe’s record of 801 goals on March 23, 1994, when he scored his 802nd against the Vancouver Canucks.
At one point this season – Ovechkin’s 20th playing for the NHL – it seemed unlikely that Ovechkin’s record-breaking moment would happen during this 82-game schedule.
He suffered a broken leg in November, sidelining him for more than a month. It threatened to postpone his achievement, even though to that point he was leading the league in goals. Still, it was a matter of when, not if, the 39-year-old would become the league’s goal-scoring king.
The crash-and-bang style of Ovechkin, who stands at 6-foot-2,238 pounds, is distinct from that of the more slight Gretzky, who relied on finesse and guile and is still the NHL’s all-time point-getter with 2,857.
Ovechkin, selected first overall by the Capitals in the 2004 draft, has led the league in goals nine times and has three Hart trophies, the award for the NHL’s most valuable player. He led Washington to its only Stanley Cup in 2017-18, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP the same season.
Ovechkin becomes the 10th player to hold the distinction as the all-time NHL goals leader.
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin, right, is greeted by Wayne Gretzky during a ceremony after he scored his 895th career goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders.Adam Hunger/The Canadian Press