Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals is closing in on the NHL goals record of 894 held by Wayne Gretzky.
Ovechkin has 878 goals and needs 17 to break the record.
Ovechkin entered the season 42 short of breaking the regular-season record by “The Great One” that long seemed unapproachable. The 39-year-old Russian is in his 20th NHL season and was on pace to get to 895 in February before breaking his left leg in a shin-on-shin collision in November. He missed 16 games but resumed his pursuit at Toronto in the Capitals' first game out of the Christmas break.
With the Capitals leading the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers by two goals on Tuesday, Ovechkin skated toward an empty net and fired the puck in as the game ended. Replays showed the shot crossed the line with 0.1 seconds left to make it a 6-3 final.
Ovechkin already owns the NHL records for power-play goals and shots on goal.
He also has 134 game-winning goals, two away from breaking Jaromir Jagr's mark (135). Ovechkin has scored on 179 goaltenders and counting, breaking Jagr's record by beating Leevi Merilainen of the Senators for No. 874. Ovechkin has 177 multi-goal games, second to Gretzky (189).
Ovechkin earlier this season became the 60th player to record 700 career assists. He joined Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Jagr, Marcel Dionne and Phil Esposito as the only players with 700 goals and 700 assists.
Gretzky has held the goals record since scoring his 802nd goal on March 23, 1994, to pass Howe. He added 92 more before retiring in 1999 after a total of 1,487 games over 20 seasons.
Gretzky holds 55 NHL records and even if his goals mark falls to Ovechkin — which he has said he is excited about — two seem truly untouchable: 2,857 total points and 1,963 assists, which is more than anyone else has in goals and assists combined.
If adding playoff goals, which do not count toward the record, Gretzky has the most of those, as well, with 122. Ovechkin has 72. Gretzky also had another 56 in the World Hockey Association regular season and playoffs, while Ovechkin has 57 from his time in the Russia-based KHL.
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The Associated Press
