Alex Ovechkin breaks Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goals record by scoring his 895th

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Alex Ovechkin fired just about the perfect version of his signature one-timer that has defined his remarkable career. When the puck hit the net, it made him the top goal scorer in NHL history.

Ovechkin scored his 895th career goal on Sunday in the Washington Capitals’ game against the New York Islanders, beating fellow Russian Ilya Sorokin on a power play with 12:34 left in the second period. He took a cross-ice pass from longtime teammate Tom Wilson and fired a laser past Sorokin with defenseman Jakob Chychrun screening.

With the excitement of a child, the 39-year-old belly flopped onto the ice as tens of thousands of fans around him cheered and chanted, “Ovi! Ovi!” while teammates streamed off the bench, mobbing him in celebration.

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Gretzky’s total of 894 goals had long seemed unapproachable. Ovechkin passed it even after missing 16 games in November and December because of a broken left leg, a testament to his durability and a knack for putting the puck in the net consistently for two decades. He surpassed 40 goals this season for a 14th time — two more than Gretzky and also the most in league history.

Even before this, Ovechkin owned the NHL records for power-play goals, shots on goal and the most goalies scored against, now adding Sorokin to that list. Only Gretzky has more multi-goal games, and Ovechkin earlier this season became just the sixth player with 700 goals and 700 assists, joining Gretzky, Howe, Jaromir Jagr, Marcel Dionne and Phil Esposito.

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