Alex Ovechkin’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL all-time scoring record is at its finishing line. The Washington Capitals’ star tied Gretzky by scoring his 894th goal in a 5-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks, and he now only needs one more goal to take sole ownership of the record.
Ovechkin’s record-tying goal came in with 13:47 left in the third, courtesy of assists from John Carlson and Andrew Mangiapane, to give the Capitals a 4-3 lead.
Ovechkin was given an opportunity to break the record late in the third period after the Blackhawks decided to pull goalie Spencer Knight. However, he decided he didn’t want to enter the history books by placing a puck into an empty net.
“I tell Carbs [Capitols head coach Spencer Carbery] right away, ‘I don’t want to do it.’ Stromer [Dylan Strome] ask me, Carly [John Carlson] ask me, everybody ask me, ‘Do you want it? Do you want it?'” Ovechkin said after the game. “I said let’s wait … I don’t want an empty net.”
However, Ovechkin did break one record on the night. The game-winner against Chicago was the 136th such goal in his career, placing him at the top of the all-time list.
Ovechkin will have his next opportunity to take ownership of the NHL’s all-time scoring record when the Capitals face the New York Islanders.
