It was a night full of history in the nation’s capital, with Alexander Ovechkin scoring twice to tie Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record of 894 goals in a 5-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.
Though the result of the game was another loss for the last-place Blackhawks, the team showed their respect for one of the game’s all-time greats following the contest, shaking Ovechkin’s hand at center ice as he was honored.
The @NHLBlackhawks remained on the ice after the game to show their respect for Alex Ovechkin. 👏 #Gr8Chase pic.twitter.com/90buP67wd3
— NHL (@NHL) April 5, 2025
Initially debuting in 2005, Ovechkin scored his 40th and 41st goals of the season Friday, marking the 14th season of his career in which he has scored at least 40 goals.
Now 39 years old, Ovechkin will look to break Wayne Gretzky’s goals record, previously thought by many to be unbreakable.
Upon the conclusion of Friday’s game, Ovechkin has scored 894 goals in 1,486 games, one fewer game than it took for Gretzky.
The Capitals have six games left in the regular season before they compete in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.