Alex Ovechkin ties Wayne Gretzky’s record with his 894th career goal, needs one more to break mark

Alex Ovechkin has tied Wayne Gretzky’s NHL goals record by scoring the 894th of his career, setting off a wild celebration on the ice with his teammates and chants of “Ovi! Ovi!” in the crowd that included the “Great One” himself.

Ovechkin scored on the power play with 13:46 left Friday night, stopping the game while fans rose to their feet to applaud the longtime Washington Capitals captain. Clearly emotional he skated several laps around center ice asking for more cheers, then returned to the bench where he blew kisses to members of his family in a suite.

A video montage of Ovechkin’s path to 894 played on arena video boards during the next stoppage in play. He’s now one goal away from breaking one of hockey’s biggest records.

With Gretzky in attendance for the first time during this chase, Ovechkin gave him and nearly everyone else in the building reason to cheer early by scoring his 893rd goal less than four minutes in. He took a pass from Dylan Strome behind the net and banking the puck off the far post and goaltender Spencer Knight’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.

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.

“It’s so hard,” said Gretzky, who had 12 40-goal seasons. “I don’t care what era you play in: ’50s, ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, it’s hard to score goals.”

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.

Ovechkin had a few chances in the second period but missed the net on three shot attempts. The Eastern Conference-leading Capitals have six games left in the regular season with a visit to the New York Islanders up next on Sunday.