Ovechkin passes Gretzky for NHL goals record at 895

By STEPHEN WHYNO NEW YORK AP Alex Ovechkin fired just about the perfect version of his signature one-timer that has defined his remarkable career When the puck hit the net it made him the top goal scorer in NHL history Ovechkin scored his th career goal on Sunday in the Washington Capitals meeting against the New York Islanders beating fellow Russian Ilya Sorokin on a power play with left in the second period He took a perfect pass from longtime teammate Tom Wilson and fired an absolute laser past Sorokin with defenseman Jakob Chychrun screening Ovechkin had never scored on Sorokin before making his countryman the rd different goaltender he has beaten He dived onto the ice to celebrate as so numerous Capitals fans in attendance chanted Ovi Ovi from the stands Just as they did after he scored No teammates mobbed the -year-old Ovechkin to celebrate the accomplishment which replaced a record that had stood for years Ovechkin then hugged company equipment and training staff on the bench waved to acknowledge the crowd and went through a handshake line with the Islanders as crew members set up for the ceremony Wayne you ll unfailingly be the Great One and you had a record that nobody ever thought would be broken NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman stated to open the festivities But Alex you did it You ve been amazing Gretzky congratulated Ovechkin and his family for the accomplishment adding They say records are made to be broken but I m not sure who s going to get more goals than that With Gretzky wife Janet Bettman and Ovechkin s wife mother and two sons standing nearby Ovechkin addressed the crowd and reported I ve inevitably explained all the time it s a club sport Fellas thank you very much I love you so much More Ovi chants followed Plenty more will be coming as he attempts to reach Gretzky s total of goals had long seemed unapproachable Ovechkin passed it even after missing games in November and December because of a broken left leg a testament to his durability and a knack for putting the puck in the net consistently for two decades He surpassed goals this season for a th time two more than Gretzky and also the largest part in league history Even before this Ovechkin owned the NHL records for power-play goals shots on goal and the greater part goalies scored against now adding Sorokin to that list Only Gretzky has more multi-goal games and Ovechkin earlier this season became just the sixth participant with goals and assists joining Gretzky Gordie Howe Jaromir Jagr Marcel Dionne and Phil Esposito Ovechkin last moved up the all-time goal-scoring list Dec when he got Nos and to tie and pass Howe The chase by the Great a nickname honoring his jersey number captured attention from North America to Ovechkin s native Russia where billboards and goal-counters cheered on and tracked his effort It helped Ovechkin that his group is one of the best in the NHL this season defying expectations Related Articles Frustrations boil over as Sharks routed by Kraken on Fan Appreciation Night Sharks Celebrini give -year-old cancer survivor an unforgettable weekend Move over Great One Ovechkin tied with Gretzky can break NHL scoring record Sunday Warsofsky to coach Squad USA at Worlds which other Sharks might go NHL Draft Lottery Sharks Blackhawks enter crunch time in race to nd place Gretzky broke Howe s record a little over years ago since he scored on March He added more before retiring in after a total of games over seasons Even with this one falling to Ovechkin which he has noted he is excited about Gretzky holds NHL records and two seem truly untouchable total points and assists the latter of which is more than anyone else has in goals and assists combined For NHL playoff goals which do not count toward the record Gretzky has the most of Ovechkin has Gretzky also had another in the World Hockey Association regular season and playoffs while Ovechkin has from his time in the KHL Russia s top league Returning to Russia to play in front of family and friends is an option at particular point for Ovechkin who has one season left after this one on the five-year million contract he signed in which took him through age to give him enough time to chase Gretzky s record Instead he got it done earlier than just about anyone could have realistically expected