History was made Sunday afternoon at UBS Arena when Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin scored his 895th career goal, surpassing the legendary Wayne Gretzky to become the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer.
The record-breaking tally came on a power play goal with 12:34 left in the second period of a 4-1 loss to the New York Islanders. It was classic Ovechkin — a rocket from the top of the left circle, also known as the “Ovi spot”, on a pass from longtime teammate Tom Wilson, blasting the puck past fellow Russian Ilya Sorokin, a goaltender he had never scored on before. Sorokin became the 183rd different goalie to be beaten by Ovechkin.
The moment froze time. With Gretzky himself and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman in attendance, the arena erupted. Chants of “Ovi! Ovi!” echoed around the Islanders’ home as fans — many in Capitals red — celebrated the iconic achievement.
It was Ovechkin’s 42nd goal of the season, continuing an astonishing run of longevity and dominance. At age 39, he now ranks second only to Gordie Howe for most goals in a season by a player aged 39 or older (Howe had 44 in 1968-69). Even more remarkably, the goal came in Ovechkin’s 1,487th career game — the exact same number Gretzky played.
Ovechkin slid on his stomach across the blue line into the neutral zone in celebration as his teammates poured over the boards to mob him. He later skated to center ice, clapped for the crowd, and pointed skyward in a familiar gesture of tribute — this time especially poignant, honoring his late father, Mikhail Ovechkin, who passed away in 2023.
A 25-minute on-ice ceremony followed. Arena workers rolled out commemorative carpets, one emblazoned with “Alex Ovechkin — 895.” A special painting by Canadian artist Tony Harris featuring both Ovechkin and Gretzky was unveiled. The Islanders lined up for handshakes, showing respect for their opponent’s historic feat.
Ovechkin’s family joined him on the ice — wife Nastya, sons Sergei and Ilya, and his mother Tatyana, who delivered a heartfelt message in a tribute video: “Your dad would be so proud.” Wilson and John Carlson presented the family with flowers, while the entire Capitals bench sported special edition hats commemorating the milestone.
A tribute video played on the arena screens, chronicling Ovechkin’s path to greatness with congratulations from NHL icons such as Jaromir Jagr, Brett Hull, and Phil Esposito, along with former Capitals teammates like Nicklas Backstrom.
The celebration concluded with a star-studded congratulatory video featuring names like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Derek Jeter, Michael Phelps, Simone Biles, Roger Federer, Sidney Crosby, and even celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Danny DeVito, and WWE’s Cody Rhodes — all recognizing the gravity of Ovechkin’s achievement.
With the hockey world watching, Alexander Ovechkin etched his name alone at the top — a once-unthinkable pursuit finally realized. A feat of brilliance, longevity, and unmatched consistency, his name now stands alone above Gretzky’s in the record books. And fittingly, it came with the whole world — and his proud family — watching. 895 and counting.
