Alex Ovechkin tied Wayne Gretzky for the NHL all-time goals record with two tallies against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night. He had the opportunity to go for the hat trick and No. 895 with an empty-netter late in the game,

Alex Ovechkin, the 39-year-old Russian superstar, is now one away from breaking Wayne Gretzky's mark with six games left to play this season.

Chicago put goalie Spencer Knight back in the game after that, so Ovechkin came back in and nearly got the hat trick anyway. He got four shot attempts off in the final two minutes and was agonizingly close to the record-breaking goal, but Knight had other plans.

Wayne Gretzky witnessed Alex Ovechkin scoring his 893rd and 894th goals to tie his NHL record as the Canadian great made his first in-person appearance during this chase.

Alex Ovechkin is one goal behind tying Wayne Gretzky's NHL record of 894 career goals. The Capitals superstar notched his 893rd career goal -- and his 40th goal of the 2024-25 season -- during the first period of Friday's game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Athletic has live coverage of Alex Ovechkin’s journey to break Wayne Gretzky’s career goal record. WASHINGTON — Wayne Gretzky first played against the Washington Capitals during his rookie season in 1979.

Follow along as Alex Ovechkin tries to reach career goal No. 895.

Gretzky's record hinged on an unprecedented run of dominance with the 1980s Edmonton Oilers. He became the first and only NHL player to score more than 90 goals in a season in 1982 and topped 70 goals in each of his next three campaigns.