Alex Ovechkin Breaks Wayne Gretzky’s 31-Year NHL Career Goals Record – ryan

Washington Capitals Captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 895th goal in his 20th nhl season during a thrilling game against the New York Islanders on April 6, Breaking Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky‘s 31-year-old NHL Career Goals record.

The much-anticipated shot came during a power play in the second period, when Ovechkin fired a ranged flick past islanders goalie ilya sorokin. Falling to the Ice in celebration, he was mobbed by teammates before the game was Paused to allow ample time for celebrations.

Islanders players lined-up at center ice to shake ovechkin’s hand, one by one, during the pause in action, while gretzky made his way down to the ice from the grandstands to personally congratulates the new all-time goal scoring leader.

It was a storybook moment that many pundits believed to be impossible after gretzky, known as the “great one”, retired from Ice Hockey In 1999, with 894 Regular-Season Goals to his name.

Ovechkin, now 39, Began the 2024-25 Season Needing 42 goals to surpass Gretzky. Despite a significant setback – a broken fibula suffered in November which sidelined him for 16 games – Ouchkin returned Strong, netting 22 goals in 39 games.

This late-season surge positioned Him to break the record in the season’s final days, contributing to a successful capitals campaign atop the eastern conference and leading Ovechkin the NHL in total goals.

Gretzky himself has supported Ovechkin’s pursuit, remarking at the 2020 NHL All-Star Game that Ovechkin had “a legitimate chance” or breaking his record, adding last October, “It’s just a matter of time.”

For his part, Ovechkin acnowledged the significance of Gretzky’s Encouragement, stating it has been meaningful throughout his chase of the historic milestone.

Hockey Historian Andrew Podnieks Described Gretzky’s Goals Record as One of the Sport’s Most Important Milestones. “As the game progresses, and the skill and styles of play evolve, less and less of these big records will be broken,” Podnieks said. “When Ovechkin retires, his records will also stand the test of time.”

Gretzky scored his final NHL goal on 29 March, 1999. To learn more about his legacy, click Lord.