In his quest to be the NHL’s greatest goal scorer, Alex Ovechkin got one step closer on Saturday and is now eight goals away from hockey immortality.
The Washington Capitals superstar scored career goal No. 887 against the San Jose Sharks as he continues to close in on Wayne Gretzky’s longstanding record of 894 goals.
Ovechkin has 34 goals this season, an impressive feat given that he’s nearing 40 years old — his birthday is Sept. 17 — and that he missed 16 games from Nov. 18 to Dec. 28 after fracturing his left fibula.
Ovechkin scored on a redirection of Martin Fehervary’s shot-pass following a Sharks turnover with 9:06 left in the third period to give Washington its final goal in a 5-1 victory over San Jose.
“I mean Ovi’s Ovi. I think everyone’s talking about him enough. He’s obviously incredible. One of the best to ever do it. He’s not far off from breaking that record,” Tyler Toffoli said postgame.
ALEX OVECHKIN POTS CAREER GOAL 8️⃣8️⃣7️⃣
HE’S ONLY 8 GOALS AWAY FROM PASSING GRETZKY pic.twitter.com/HUAfHWeleT
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) March 15, 2025
Ovechkin hasn’t gone more than three games this season without scoring a goal. He’s had a three-game drought twice — the first three of the year from Oct. 15-17 and from Jan. 6-10.
Ovechkin has scored twice his last four games — and eight times in his last 11 — after getting No. 886 on Sunday in the Capitals’ 4-2 win over Seattle. In search of his 14th career 40-goal season, the winger also has 19 in his 33 contests since returning from injury.
Saturday’s goal was Ovechkin’s 17th in 29 career games against the Sharks. His most notable game against the Sharks came on Jan. 22, 2019, when he had three goals and one assist at home.
Ovechkin, should he stay healthy, has 15 games remaining in the 2024-25 season to either catch or surpass Gretzky. Ovechkin reaching the mark more quickly than Gretzky is also in play; the former has played 1,477 games to the latter’s 1,487.
Washington, meanwhile, continued its bid for a fourth Presidents’ Trophy and its first since back-to-back honors as the top team in the regular season in 2016 and 2017. The Capitals now have a 44-15-8 record, tied with Winnipeg for the NHL points lead.
The Capitals now begin a three-game homestand against Detroit (on Tuesday), Philadelphia (on Thursday) and Florida (next Saturday).
(Photo of Alex Ovechkin: David Gonzales / Imagn Images)
