Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals surpassed Wayne Gretzky because the NHL’s all-time scoring chief along with his 895th aim towards the New York Islanders on Sunday.

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For Alex Ovechkin, the aim in Sunday’s recreation got here similar to so many earlier than it did — on the ability play, from the highest of the left faceoff circle, a strong shot proper to the aim.

However this one was historical past. For the Washington Capitals star, this 895th aim of his common season profession makes him the NHL’s new all-time scoring chief after Wayne Gretzky, the “Nice One,” held the file for greater than 30 years.

After he scored, Ovechkin slid to the ice belly-first and shouted with delight as his teammates raced onto the ice in a joyous mob. And the gang — even at an away recreation towards the New York Islanders — roared and chanted his identify. 

The sport paused for greater than ten minutes for an official celebration as quickly as Ovechkin scored. Each benches emptied because the groups, Capitals and Islanders alike, lined as much as shake Ovechkin’s hand. And Gretzky joined Ovechkin on the ice, together with Ovechkin’s household and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, for a mid-game ceremony.

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“I may let you know firsthand I understand how exhausting it’s to get to 894,” Gretzky mentioned. “895 is fairly particular.”

“They are saying information are made to be damaged, however I am unsure who’s going to get extra targets than that,” Gretzky joked.

Ovechkin’s chase for Gretzky’s file had come to be the headliner story of the complete NHL season. Final Friday, he scored two targets to tie the file at dwelling in Washington. Afterward, costs for tickets to Sunday’s recreation in New York had soared to $1,000 or extra, as followers raced for the chance to see historical past.

At 39 years outdated, Ovechkin is the second-oldest ahead within the NHL this season, his twentieth. And he has scored targets this season on the similar clip as he did when he was a 20-year-old rookie — virtually two targets each three video games. 

Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals celebrates with teammates after scoring his 895th profession aim throughout the second interval towards the New York Islanders to turn into the NHL all-time targets chief on Sunday in Elmont, New York.

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His mixture of sturdiness and manufacturing allowed him to proceed scoring targets at a price far larger than virtually another participant of their 30s — and better than most gamers within the league in any respect. 

With Sunday’s aim, Ovechkin has scored 42 targets this season, third-most league-wide — regardless of having damaged his leg in a recreation in November, an damage that pressured him to overlook 16 video games, the longest damage pause of his profession. (The opposite 5 top-scoring gamers this season are all of their 20s.)

“What a second for hockey, what a second for my household, myself, this group, my teammates. Clearly, it is enormous,” Ovechkin mentioned in a TV interview with Monumental Sports activities Community throughout the recreation.