Alex Ovechkin is now one goal away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record for the most in NHL history.
Ovechkin scored his second goal of the Washington Capitals’ home game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night on the power play with 13:46 left in the third period — and he did so with Gretzky in attendance for the first time during this chase.
Earlier, he got his 893rd to move one away from tying and two from breaking Gretzky’s mark that long seemed unapproachable. The 39-year-old Russian superstar is now one away from breaking it with 10:56 to go in the game and six left to play this season.
On his first of the night, Ovechkin beat Spencer Knight 3:52 in, taking a pass from Dylan Strome behind the net and banking the puck off the far post and the goaltender’s back and in.
After a few seconds, Ovechkin’s personal goal song, “Shake, Rattle & Roll” by Big Joe Turner, started blaring from arena speakers as mascot Slapshot flipped the counter in one corner from 892 to 893. Fans chanted, “Ovi! Ovi!” before and after play resumed.
Scoring in a fourth consecutive game, Ovechkin reached 40 goals for a 14th time in 20 seasons, which is the most in league history. With his second, he is at 41.
The Eastern Conference-leading Capitals have six games left in the regular season with a visit to the New York Islanders next Sunday.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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