OMG. HE DID IT!!
Alex Ovechkin just scored his 895th career goal beating New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin with an 87 MPH wrist shot. Not only did Ovechkin break the NHL goals record on the play, but the tally marked his sixth goal in the last five games.
Tom Wilson and Dylan Strome got the assists on the second period power-play goal. The goal occurred 7:26 into the stanza and at 1:47 pm Eastern Time.
“The chasing days are done!!” Joe Beninati roared during the Monumental Sports Network telecast. “Alex Ovechkin is the greatest goal-scorer in the history of the NHL.”
Ovechkin celebrated by diving chest first onto the at UBS Arena ice like he was taking a swim. Though he admitted after the game, he just fell over due to bad ice.
Ovi was immediately mobbed by his Washington Capitals teammates at center ice. Wayne Gretzky, the former record holder, clapped proudly while wearing a number 9 pin in honor of Gordie Howe. Fans at UBS Arena cheered loudly. Ovechkin’s family — mother, Tatyana; wife, Nastya, children, Sergei and Ilya; and father-in-law, Kirill Shubsky — along with Capitals owner Ted Leonsis and Ovi’s former Capitals teammates Nicklas Backstrom, TJ Oshie, and Devante Smith-Pelly watched from the stands.
Ovechkin captured the record in 1,487 games played, the same amount of Gretzky played in his historic career to reach 894.
Sorokin was previously one of just 29 NHL goalies who have faced an Ovechkin shot and never given up a goal. Now, appropriately, he’s the 183rd different goalie on Ovechkin’s list. The Russian netminder gave Ovechkin his goalie stick afterward and promised him his glove when the 2024-25 campaign ends.
“They say records are made to be broken,” Wayne Gretzky said during the 22-minute-long on-ice ceremony, “but I’m not sure who’s gonna get more goals than that.”
Take your seat on your new throne, O. You are the new NHL Goals King. NHL history has been made!
Read RMNB’s full coverage of Ovechkin’s record-breaking goal.
