Alex Ovechkin has tied Wayne Gretzky’s NHL targets document by scoring the 894th of his profession, setting off a wild celebration on the ice together with his teammates and chants of “Ovi! Ovi!” within the crowd that included the “Nice One” himself.
Ovechkin scored on the ability play with 13:46 left Friday night time, stopping the sport whereas followers rose to their toes to applaud the longtime Washington Capitals captain. Clearly emotional he skated a number of laps round middle ice asking for extra cheers, then returned to the bench the place he blew kisses to members of his household in a collection.
A video montage of Ovechkin’s path to 894 performed on area video boards in the course of the subsequent stoppage in play. He’s now one objective away from breaking certainly one of hockey’s greatest information.
With Gretzky in attendance for the primary time throughout this chase, Ovechkin gave him and almost everybody else within the constructing purpose to cheer early by scoring his 893rd objective lower than 4 minutes in. He took a go from Dylan Strome behind the online and banking the puck off the far put up and goaltender Spencer Knight’s again and in.
After just a few seconds, Ovechkin’s private objective track, “Shake, Rattle & Roll” by Large Joe Turner,” began blaring from area audio system as mascot Slapshot flipped the counter in a single nook from 892 to 893.
Scoring in a fourth consecutive sport, Ovechkin reached 40 targets for a 14th time in 20 seasons, which is probably the most in league historical past. Together with his second, he’s at 41.
“It’s so exhausting,” stated Gretzky, who had 12 40-goal seasons. “I don’t care what period you play in: ’50s, ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, it’s exhausting to attain targets.”
Earlier, he acquired his 893rd to maneuver one away from tying and two from breaking Gretzky’s mark that lengthy appeared unapproachable. The 39-year-old Russian celebrity is now one away from breaking it with 10:56 to go within the sport and 6 left to play this season.
On his first of the night time, Ovechkin beat Spencer Knight 3:52 in, taking a go from Dylan Strome behind the online and banking the puck off the far put up and the goaltender’s again and in.
Ovechkin had just a few possibilities within the second interval however missed the online on three shot makes an attempt. The Japanese Convention-leading Capitals have six video games left within the common season with a go to to the New York Islanders up subsequent on Sunday.
