After nabbing a 3-2 win against the Philadelphia Flyers last night, the Montreal Canadiens will try to win a fifth game in a row when they take on the Nashville Predators on Sunday night. The hosts are on the opposite end of the spectrum, having lost their last five games in regulation. The Habs have bounced back after a five-game losing streak and are now 5-3-2 in their last 10 games, while the Preds are 2-8-0 in the same span.

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The two teams have crossed paths once this season so far, with Montreal blanking Nashville 3-0 with Samuel Montembeault. Jake Evans, Patrik Laine, and Joel Armia had scored on the night.

There is no confirmation of who will be in the Canadiens' net and no pregame media availability. Montembeault was on duty last night, but I believe he'll be there if he says he’s good to go. He has a 4-1-0 record against Nashville with a 2.76 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage, while Jakub Dobes has never taken them on. Juuse Saros will be manning the home net; he has a 5-1-1 record against Montreal with a 2.89 GAA and .929 SP.

The Canadiens have not confirmed if Josh Anderson will be back in action. He missed Saturday night’s game for family reasons, and given the timing, it’s highly likely his wife has or is giving birth to the couple’s first child. Oliver Kapanen, who filled in for him on Saturday, played well, and Martin St-Louis said he could see the progress in his game after the months he spent in the SHL. After the game, Brendan Gallagher gave the youngster the man of the match’s glasses as a welcome back.

Toujours de la classe, ce Gally

Classy Gally#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/w1cewhnAeC

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 6, 2025

Up front, Patrik Laine is the Canadiens’ most productive forward against Nashville. With 11 points in 25 games, he’s the only Hab who has hit double digits. Brendan Gallagher is in second place with nine points in 17 games, and Joel Armia is third with an eight-point output in 19 games. Cole Caufield only has seven points, but he got them in the same number of games.

On the other side, Steven Stamkos has 50 points in 52 duels against the Canadiens, Ryan O’Reilly is in second place with 27 points in 30 games, and Jonathan Marchesseault completes the top three with 17 points in 21 games. Barry Trotz went all out on the free agency market last Summer, but the results have been disastrous. The Predators are 30th in the league with 62 points, and the GM will need to be creative this Summer if he wants to turn things around.

Even if they are going through a tough stretch, the Preds have won six of the last ten duels between the two teams. While Montreal has got a four-point lead in the second wild card spot, now is not the time to take their foot off the pedal. The Columbus Blue Jackets, the Detroit Red Wings, and the New York Islanders are all in action on this busy Sunday in the NHL. According to Moneypuck.com, Montreal has a 74.2% chance of making the Spring dance.

---

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The Anaheim Ducks wrapped up their brief two-game Western Canada road trip with a Saturday matinee against the Vancouver Canucks. The Ducks were coming off of a decisive 4-1 defeat at the hands of the Calgary Flames on Thursday and fared even worse on Saturday, as they dropped their third game of their last four by a score of 6-2.

Takeaways from the Ducks' 4-1 Loss to the Flames

The Canucks entered Saturday having gone winless in their previous three games and hoping to remain within shouting distance of the second wild card spot in the Western Conference. They were without top centers Elias Pettersson and Filip Chytl in this game.

Jacob Trouba is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury and missed this game. He was replaced by Oliver Kylington, who played his third game as a Duck. Nikita Nesterenko drew back into the fourth line after he was scratched on Thursday in favor of Brett Leason.

Lukas Dostal got the start for the Ducks and saved just 20 of the 26 shots he faced, but he didn’t stand much of a chance on any of the six goals he let in, as the shots he faced were consistently screened, tipped, or the result of a lapse in coverage.

In the Vancouver crease stood Thatcher Demko, who saved 30 of 32 shots in this game.

Here are my notes:

Pavel Mintyukov-Mintyukov was easily the most positively impactful Ducks blueliner in this game. He was the only defenseman killing rush attacks in the neutral zone with clever tactics to bait breakout passes to seemingly open outlets before he closed in and caused a turnover.

He was breaking up pass attempts with clever stick checks and was poised yet aggressive with the puck on his stick, looking to create much-needed offense from the offensive blueline and the rush.

Trevor Zegras-Zegras had a tough outing in Calgary, seemingly outmatched by their speed and willingness to crowd the Anaheim crease. However, he bounced back nicely in this game and was far more active on both the forecheck and with the puck on his stick.

He displayed a willingness to curl and support his defensemen when the Ducks were regrouping to build speed from his end and into the neutral zone so that he could attack downhill through the middle of the ice, where he’s the most dangerous.

Rush Defense-Rush defense was a significant issue for the Ducks in the 2023-24 season where forwards would do well to backcheck, but there was a lack of communication and failure to pick up opposing trailers entering the zone. That issue popped up again on Vancouver’s first goal of the game, the one that ignited their stretch of five goals in 4:30.

Special Teams-The Ducks now have the worst power play in the NHL, converting at a 12.4% clip. They could stand to take aspects of what made the Canucks successful on both their man-advantages in this game. Chief among them was movement. Whether it was Quinn Hughes activating to find Conor Garland on the backdoor or Brock Boeser sliding from the goal line to the bumper for a high tip, Vancouver predicated their power play on player movement.

The Ducks power play has been too stagnate for too long. Leo Carlsson, specifically, could stand to activate more to find soft ice away from the puck and render himself more of a consistent scoring threat.


The Ducks will travel back home on Monday to host the Edmonton Oilers, as their remaining schedule is down to six games on the season.

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The Vancouver Canucks (35-28-13) wrap up their three-game home stand on Sunday when they face the Vegas Golden Knights (46-22-8). This is the first of two games between these Pacific Division rivals this month, as they are also scheduled to face off on the final day of the regular season. Like every game down the stretch, this is a must-win for Vancouver, as a loss would see their playoff odds drop below 1%. 

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

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Sunday's game will not be an easy one, as the Golden Knights still have plenty to play for. While Vegas has already clinched a post-season berth, they are competing for the top spot in the division and home ice for at least the first two rounds. Overall, it is going to be a tough test for the Canucks, and one they will need to pass if they still have plans of qualifying for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

Players to Watch:

Aatu Räty:

Aatu Räty has been making the most of his recent call-up. He continues to be dominant in the faceoff dot and has shown he can be an impactful third-line center at the NHL level. If Räty can win his matchup and keep delivering faceoff wins, it will go a long way in helping Vancouver take down the Golden Knights. 

Brett Howden:

One player on Vegas' roster who isn't discussed enough is Brett Howden. The 27-year-old has filled in nicely as part of the top six and, like Räty, is having success in the faceoff dot. With points in five of his last season, Howden could easily find the scoresheet Sunday night. 

Vancouver Canucks (35-28-13):
Last 10: 4-4-2

Quinn Hughes: 16-56-72
Brock Boeser: 25-23-48
Elias Pettersson: 15-30-45
Conor Garland: 19-26-45
Jake DeBrusk: 24-20-44

Vegas Golden Knights (46-22-8):
Last 10: 7-3-0

Jack Eichel: 27-66-93
Mark Stone: 19-47-66
Tomáš Hertl: 31-28-59 *Injured
Shea Theodore: 7-47-54
Pavel Dorofeyev: 33-17-50

Game Information:

Start Time: 7:00 pm PT
Venue: Rogers Arena
Television: Sportsnet
Radio: Sportsnet 650

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. 

Two years ago, Anton Lundmark was playing in a semi-professional regional league in the third tier of Swedish hockey. This season, at age 23, he made his SHL debut with Timrå IK, where he scored five goals, had four assists and zero (!) penalty minutes in 53 regular-season and playoff games.

And yet, somehow, the Florida Panthers were impressed with what they saw and signed the 6-foot-4, 192-pound winger to a one-year entry-level contract, which will take effect next season. The news left many scratching their heads and asking, “Who?”

The offer even caught Lundmark off guard, according to Finnish media outlet MTV Uutiset.

“I spoke to him (on the day of the announcement), and you could say that he was shocked himself,” said Timrå GM Kimmo Kapanen. “He didn’t really understand what had happened.”

However, Kapanen seemed less surprised and was quick to praise Lundmark.

“He has worked incredibly hard and has earned this opportunity,” Kapanen added. “He has all the necessary tools.”

Oliver Kapanen On Leaving Habs: “It Feels Good To Return” To TimråOn Wednesday, the Montreal Canadiens announced that 21-year-old Finnish center Oliver Kapenen was being loaned to Timrå IK, the SHL club that he signed with in May. Kapanen already went to the Swedish team’s training camp in August and played pre-season games in September before the Canadiens’ camp. 

The Panthers are no-doubt impressed by Lundmark’s work ethic and possibly see him eventually using his size to carve out a role as a fourth-line winger. Zero penalty minutes in 53 games for a player in that role is a bit surprising, though.

“Anton is a robust forward who has elevated his game rising through the professional hockey ranks in Sweden,” Florida GM Bill Zito is quoted in the NHL club’s announcement. “We look forward to his continued development in our organization.”

Timrå, which was coached this season by Finnish ex-NHLer Olli Jokinen, finished sixth in the 14-team SHL before being eliminated by Frölunda HC in the quarterfinals.

In addition to Lundmark, the team is expecting to lose its leading scorer, 24-year-old Filip Hållander, to the Pittsburgh Penguins this summer. Oliver Kapanen, the son of the club’s sports manager, played most of the season in Timrå on loan from the Montreal Canadiens and will probably be gone next season as well.

Report: Filip Hallander Headed Back To NHL Next SeasonSwedish center and left winger Filip Hållander is headed back to the NHL next season, according to Swedish media outlet Exprssen.

The St. Louis Blues have announced that they have recalled forward Dalibor Dvorsky from their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds. 

Dvorsky was sent back down to the Thunderbirds on April 3 but is now heading right back to the Blues' roster. The 19-year-old forward will look to impress during his latest opportunity with the NHL squad from here.

Dvorsky made his NHL debut for the Blues on March 23 against the Nashville Predators. During the contest, the young forward had 10:40 time on ice. 

Down at the AHL level this season with the Thunderbirds, Dvorsky has been very impactful. In 59 games, he has 20 goals, 24 assists, and 44 points. He was also named to the AHL All-Star Classic due to his strong play.

Dvorsky will now aim to take advantage of receiving another shot on the Blues' roster from here. The 2023 tenth-overall pick is one of the club's most promising prospects and has the potential to blossom into a top-six forward at the NHL level later down the road. Thus, all eyes will be on him during this latest chance on the Blues' roster. 

Recent Blues News 

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Blues' Jordan Binnington Rewarded For Stellar Month

Blues Star Is Absolutely Thriving Right Now

Alex Ovechkin has chased down Wayne Gretzky’s goal-scoring record by remaining productive long into his career.

Now 39, Ovechkin tied Gretzky’s record on Friday by scoring 188 goals in 334 games since his 35th birthday in the fall of 2020. That’s the sixth-most overall during that timeframe.

By contrast, Gretzky scored just 67 goals in 265 games from his 35th birthday on Jan. 26, 1996 through his retirement in April of 1999, at age 38. Once he passed Gordie Howe with No. 802 in 1994, there was a significant drop-off in his production.

On Friday, Ovechkin also became the second-oldest player in NHL history to score 40 goals in a season. Gordie Howe did it as a 40-year-old in 1968-69. The way Ovi’s going, he could take a real run at tying that record next year if the spirit moves him.

THERE IT IS!!! OVECHKIN HAS TIED GRETZKY FOR MOST GOALS IN NHL HISTORY!!! pic.twitter.com/9bn8ta4Ea1

— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) April 5, 2025

But this season, Ovechkin’s not the only NHL greybeard who’s doing great things. Here are four others who also seem to be drinking from the Fountain of Youth, listed in order of age.

Marc-Andre Fleury - Age 40

The Minnesota Wild stopper has let it be known that he’s bowing out at the end of this season. And while his workload has been reduced, the first-overall pick from 2003 is still delivering quality minutes during his farewell tour. 

In 23 appearances during his age-40 year, Fleury is 12-9-1 with a 2.78 goals-against average and .903 save percentage. The next stop for the three-time Cup champ: the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Brent Burns – Age 40

When Burns signed an eight-year contract extension at an $8 million cap hit in the fall of 2016, it was widely assumed that the San Jose Sharks were buying high.

Burns won his Norris Trophy at the end of that season before his new deal kicked in. And by the end of Year 5, the rebuilding Sharks were happy to retain a third of the money in order to offload the contract to Carolina.

Burns turned 40 in March. He may not be hitting 70 points anymore, but he’s still averaging well over 20 minutes a game on one of the league’s best puck-possession teams. 

Whatever mysterious potions the bearded one might be carting around in his famous backpack, Burns’s regime is working for him. He recently moved into fourth-place all-time on the NHL’s consecutive-games-played list, at 919. 

Only one other defenseman is ahead of him, Keith Yandle (989). Burns could pass him if he plays just one more year.

Streak aside, it won’t be surprising if Burns has multiple suitors if he decides to test the waters as a UFA this summer.

Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Age 38

Vlasic signed his big extension in San Jose just a few months after his old partner, Burns, on July 1, 2017 — at a slightly lower cap hit of $7 million a season. As more of a stay-at-home type, he’s had some injury challenges over the years. But this season, Vlasic passed Mark Giordano to become the NHL player with the most blocked shots since tracking began in 2005-06.

That achievement speaks volumes about the physical sacrifices that Vlasic has made throughout his career. 

He has one year remaining on his deal and will most likely want to play it out. It will at least provide one year of insurance for his blocks record, as John Carlson and Alex Pietrangelo are still active and sit third and fourth in the all-time blocked-shot rankings.

Sidney Crosby – Age 37

Sid the Kid is the 13th-oldest skater in the NHL this season. But like Ovechkin, his motor simply isn’t slowing down. 

His 1,682 career points are 64 more than second-place Ovechkin among active players. And with his hat trick in Pittsburgh’s win over the Dallas Stars on Saturday, Crosby just hit the 30-goal mark for the fourth-straight year and the 13th time in his career. 

Last week, Crosby set a record by logging his 20th  point-per-game season — which spans his entire career.

A big ovation from @penguins fans for Sidney Crosby after he became the first player to record 20 point-per-game seasons on Thursday! 👏 pic.twitter.com/LZGJKBSENE

— NHL (@NHL) March 30, 2025

If he gets a point against the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday, he’ll extend his current point streak to 13 games. That would be a record for a player who’s 37 or older.

Crosby’s workload isn’t changing, either. His average ice time this season is 20:24, just 16 seconds below his career average of 20:40.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have assigned forward Joona Koppanen to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, it was announced Saturday. 

Koppanen, a product of Tampere, Finland, has split time this season between the NHL and the AHL, collecting one goal in six games with Pittsburgh while putting up seven goals and 22 points in 55 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. 

Drafted by the Boston Bruins in the fifth round of the 2016 NHL Draft, Koppanen has appeared in 15 career NHL games with the Penguins and the Bruins. Across that time, he has scored one goal and added an assist for two points.

With Koppanen being assigned to the AHL once again, he will play a big role for the Penguins as they look to go on a deep playoff run. Still just 27, Koppanen's play could earn him some interest if he hits free agency. 

LAS VEGAS -- The Golden Knights grabbed a much-needed win Saturday, snapping a two-game skid with a 3-2 overtime win in Calgary over the Wild Card hopeful Flames.

Reilly Smith scored twice, including the overtime winner at the 4:31 mark to lift the Knights to a win, and extend their lead in the Pacific Division to three points over the hard-charging Los Angeles Kings.

Akira Schmid, who is now active while regular backup Ilya Samsonov is nursing an injury, made 21 saves for the victory in his first start of the season.

Pavel Dorofeyev opened the scoring for Vegas with a first-period strike. It was his team-leading 33rd of the season.

Here are three takeaways from the game:

POTENTIAL REMATCH? Despite the loss, Calgary moved within four points of idle Minnesota for the second Wild-Card spot in the Western Conference. The Flames are still very relevant in the playoff race, as they've got a game in hand on Minnesota and a meeting with the Wild at the Saddledome this coming Friday. With Calgary keeping their playoff flame burning, it remains one of Vegas' potential first-round foes.

PACIFIC DIVISION POWER: Though the Golden Knights suffered losses to the Oilers and Kings recently, they boast a 16-4-1 record against the entire Pacific Division. The intradivision success could come into play if either the Knights miraculously end up facing the Flames in the first round, or were to drop out of first place and meet either the Oilers or Kings in the opening round.

PK TURNAROUND: After allowing power-play goals in each of the last two games - both losses - the Golden Knights were a perfect 4 for 4 with their penalty kill in Calgary. It was a much-needed boost to a penalty kill that came into the game ranked 26th overall on the PK, including a dismal 30th on the road. With the season winding down, and the power play a heavy emphasis in the postseason, Vegas' penalty kill will be essential for a Stanley Cup run.

895! Alex Ovechkin breaks Wayne Gretzky's NHL all-time goals record originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Shortly after Wayne Gretzky became the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer in 1994, his father mentioned how someone, someday, would break his record.

“I looked at my dad,” Gretzky recently recalled, “and said, ‘Well can I enjoy this for just a couple days?'”

Gretzky enjoyed holding the record for more than 30 years – and then that someone appeared, and that someday arrived.

It was Alex Ovechkin on April 6, 2025.

The date will forever be etched in history as the day the Washington Capitals star scored his 895^th career goal to break Gretzky’s record and become the top goal scorer in league history.

The 39-year-old Ovechkin netted the record-breaking goal Sunday during the Capitals’ game against theNew York Islanders at UBS Arena on Long Island. He scored on the power play with 12:34 remaining in the second period, sending the thousands of Capitals fans who were in attendance into a raucous celebration.

The Capitals left the bench to join the celebration with Ovechkin, and the game was paused for a ceremony that marked the completion of what has been dubbed “The GR8 Chase.”

Ovechkin reached 895 goals in his 1,487th game — the same number of games Gretzky played in his NHL 20-year career.

Gretzky was in attendance, as was NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Ovechkin’s family, for the record-breaking goal.

Records are meant to be broken, but greatness is rarely expected to be matched. And yet, “The Great One” is now second greatest on the league’s most hallowed statistical list.

Ovechkin’s climb to the top required longevity, consistency and availability – all of which he has provided since being selected first overall in the 2004 draft.

In his NHL debut on Oct. 5, 2005, he scored the first two goals of what would be a 52-goal season, the third-most ever scored by an NHL rookie.

Ovechkin, during his third season, scored a career best 65 goals. He has recorded nine 50-plus goal seasons, matching the record shared by Gretzky and Islanders legend Mike Bossy. He has scored 40 or more goals in a season 14 times, which topped Gretzky’s record of 12.

Alex Ovechkin milestone goals

• First — Oct. 5, 2005
• 100^th— Oct. 12, 2007
• 200^th — Feb. 5, 2009
• 300^th — April 5, 2011
• 400^th — Dec. 20, 2013
• 500^th — Jan. 10, 2016
• 600^th — March 12, 2018
• 700^th — Feb. 22, 2020
• 800^th — Dec. 13, 2022
• 894^th — April 4, 2025
• 895^th — April 6, 2025

Ovechkin won nine Rocket Richard Trophies for most goals scored in a season, three Hart Trophies as most valuable player, and the 2017 Stanley Cup, which was the first in Capitals franchise history.

With each goal along the way, he inched closer to greatness.

Gretzky had held the goals record since 1994 when he tallied his 802nd goal on March 23, 1994 to pass Detroit Red Wings legend Gordie Howe. Gretzky, who played primarily for the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings, scored his 894th and final goal came on March 29, 1999, as a member of the New York Rangers. He retired three weeks later at the age of 38, holding 61 NHL records at the time, including most career assists (1,963) and points (2,857), both of which still comfortably stand.

His goals record outlasted many Hall of Famers who took aim but fell short — with Jaromir Jagr scoring 766 goals before retiring in 2018 and Brett Hull netting 741 goals before closing his 19-year career in 2006.

Ovechkin in December 2022 became just the third player in league history to reach 800 career goals, joining Gretzky and Howe. He began his 20th NHL season in October needing 42 goals to top a record once believed to be unbreakable. He missed 16 games earlier this season with a fractured left fibula, pushing the record pursuit closer to the end of the season.

Ovechkin entered Sunday having scored in four consecutive games. He scored twice on Friday against the Chicago Blackhawks, including career goal No. 894 to tie Gretzky’s record total.

He broke it with just five games remaining for the Capitals in the regular season.

Ovechkin will now look to become the first NHL player to score 900 career goals, a club he will remain the sole member of for quite some time, if not permanently.

Until – of course – someone, someday comes along.

895! Alex Ovechkin breaks Wayne Gretzky's NHL all-time goals record originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Shortly after Wayne Gretzky became the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer in 1994, his father mentioned how someone, someday, would break his record.

“I looked at my dad,” Gretzky recently recalled, “and said, ‘Well can I enjoy this for just a couple days?'”

Gretzky enjoyed holding the record for more than 30 years – and then that someone appeared, and that someday arrived.

It was Alex Ovechkin on April 6, 2025.

The date will forever be etched in history as the day the Washington Capitals star scored his 895^th career goal to break Gretzky’s record and become the top goal scorer in league history.

The 39-year-old Ovechkin netted the record-breaking goal Sunday during the Capitals’ 4-1 loss to theNew York Islanders at UBS Arena on Long Island. He scored on the power play with 12:34 remaining in the second period, firing a one-timer off a feed from longtime teammate Tom Wilson past Islanders goalie, and fellow Russian, Ilya Sorokin.

Ovechkin reached 895 goals in his 1,487th game — the same number of games Gretzky played in his NHL 20-year career.

“I’m probably gonna need a couple more days or maybe a couple weeks to realize what does it mean to be number one,” Ovechkin said after the game. “But all I can say is, I’m very proud for myself, I’m very proud for my family, for all my teammates that helped me to reach that milestone, and for all my coaches. It’s huge. It’s an unbelievable moment.”

After scoring the goal, Ovechkin celebrated with a belly-flop, sliding towards center ice on his stomach before he was mobbed by teammates. The goal sent the thousands of Capitals fans among the 17,000-plus in attendance into a raucous celebration.

The game was paused for a roughly 20-minute ceremony that marked the completion of what has been dubbed “The GR8 Chase.”

Gretzky, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Ovechkin’s family joined Ovechkin on the ice.

“They say records are made to be broken,” Gretzky said during the ceremony, “but I’m not sure who’s going to get more goals than that.”

Records sure are made to be broken, but greatness is rarely expected to be matched. And yet, “The Great One” himself is now second greatest on the league’s most hallowed statistical list.

Ovechkin’s climb to the top required longevity, consistency and availability – all of which he has provided since being selected first overall in the 2004 draft.

In his NHL debut on Oct. 5, 2005, he scored the first two goals of what would be a 52-goal season, the third-most ever scored by an NHL rookie.

Ovechkin, during his third season, scored a career best 65 goals. He has recorded nine 50-plus goal seasons, matching the record shared by Gretzky and Islanders legend Mike Bossy. He has scored 40 or more goals in a season 14 times, which topped Gretzky’s record of 12.

Alex Ovechkin milestone goals

• First — Oct. 5, 2005
• 100^th— Oct. 12, 2007
• 200^th — Feb. 5, 2009
• 300^th — April 5, 2011
• 400^th — Dec. 20, 2013
• 500^th — Jan. 10, 2016
• 600^th — March 12, 2018
• 700^th — Feb. 22, 2020
• 800^th — Dec. 13, 2022
• 894^th — April 4, 2025
• 895^th — April 6, 2025

Ovechkin won nine Rocket Richard Trophies for most goals scored in a season, three Hart Trophies as most valuable player, and the 2017 Stanley Cup, which was the first in Capitals franchise history.

With each goal along the way, he inched closer to greatness.

“Wayne, you’ll always be the ‘Great One’ and you had a record that nobody ever thought would be broken,” Bettman said during the in-game ceremony. “But Alex, you did it. You’ve been amazing.”

Gretzky had held the goals record since 1994 when he tallied his 802nd goal on March 23, 1994 to pass Detroit Red Wings legend Gordie Howe. Gretzky, who played primarily for the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings, scored his 894th and final goal came on March 29, 1999, as a member of the New York Rangers. He retired three weeks later at the age of 38, holding 61 NHL records at the time, including most career assists (1,963) and points (2,857), both of which still comfortably stand.

His goals record outlasted many Hall of Famers who took aim but fell short — with Jaromir Jagr scoring 766 goals before retiring in 2018 and Brett Hull netting 741 goals before closing his 19-year career in 2006.

Ovechkin in December 2022 became just the third player in league history to reach 800 career goals, joining Gretzky and Howe. He began his 20th NHL season in October needing 42 goals to top a record once believed to be unbreakable. He missed 16 games earlier this season with a fractured left fibula, pushing the record pursuit closer to the end of the season.

Ovechkin entered Sunday having scored in four consecutive games. He scored twice on Friday against the Chicago Blackhawks, including career goal No. 894 to tie Gretzky’s record total.

He broke it with just five games remaining for the Capitals in the regular season.

“Finally, I’m not gonna have those questions of when do you think you’re gonna break it,” Ovechkin said. “It’s already done. So, gonna have to figure out what the next question is gonna be. For me and for all the boys, it’s a fun time. You can see how many people traveled from all over the world to see that moment. It’s special.”

Ovechkin will now look to become the first NHL player to score 900 career goals, a club he will remain the sole member of for quite some time, if not permanently.

Until – of course – someone, someday comes along.

Some believe the Montreal Canadiens have one of the easiest schedules match-up-wise until the end of the season, but I disagree. For some reason, Martin St. Louis’s men tend to play down to the opposition. They did it in the first period of the game against the Boston Bruins, and Saturday night’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers started similarly.

Canadiens: Jacob Fowler’s Fantastic New Mask
Flyers Played Their Game and the Canadiens Were Just Better
Canadiens: The Jacques-Beauchamp-Molson Trophy

Keeping It Simple

The first frame wasn’t a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, but Juraj Slafkovsky stood out for all the wrong reasons. The big Slovak is at his best when he keeps it simple, but during the first 20 minutes, he repeatedly tried cross-ice passes that could have been costly. The former first overall pick is a good player, but he doesn’t have Lane Hutson’s deceptive game. It seems like he needs to be reminded of that at times.

His game should concentrate on using his big frame to apply relentless forecheck with big, punishing hits, a bit like Josh Anderson typically does. On Saturday night, Anderson was absent for family reasons (his wife must have gone into labor), and his absence was felt, especially with Slafkovsky not sticking to the best kind of game for him. To make matters worse, he also took a penalty that could have been costly late in the game.

He wasn’t the only one making things hard for himself; the team played unstructured hockey, and the Canadiens struggled to get out of their zone throughout the first stanza, even committing 15 giveaways.

Where Was The Urgency?

After 40 minutes of play at the Bell Center, the building and the players were flat. The Flyers only took five shots on goal in the second frame; they looked like they were running on an empty tank, even though they just had four days off. Guess they ran out of the "our coach just got fired juice". The Canadiens dominated puck possession and took 11 shots on goal, but their play had no urgency. Early on, they looked like they were “sleep-skating.”

However, Samuel Ersson was on his game for the visitors and kept them in the lead, making a couple of big saves. Given the high stakes, it was surprising that Montreal needed that much time to get into gear.

The Leadership

Less than a minute and 25 seconds into the final frame, Brendan Gallagher scored the game-tying goal and set the Bell Centre alight. The crowd was aching for something to cheer, and the alternate captain gave it to them. With Anderson missing, he stepped into a more significant physical role, landing five of the Canadiens’ 40 hits; only Jake Evans (six) and Michael Pezzetta (eight) had more.

Speaking about Gallagher in his post-game presser, St-Louis said:

Of course, Gally, his 20th goal, I’m proud of him and I’m happy.

- Martin St-Louis on Brendan Gallagher

Once that goal was scored, the Canadiens seemed to have an extra spring in their step, and we saw the urgency, pressure, and intensity. Less than a minute and a half later, Lane Hutson went coast-to-coast and scored a beautiful goal, threading the needle from a tight angle and sending the Bell Center into a frenzy.

Ok, give Lane Hutson the Calder 🏆 pic.twitter.com/xeeCdNHWcz

— The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) April 6, 2025

A careless Slafkovsky penalty could have wrecked the work accomplished in the first half of the third, but captain Nick Suzuki stepped up. Playing on the penalty kill in Anderson’s absence, the captain collected Kaiden Guhle’s clearance, skated around the net, went right to the slot, picked his spot, and scored a huge shorthanded goal. A goal by Philadelphia at that stage would have been disastrous. Slafkovsky owes his captain a steak dinner.

Asked if Suzuki still had room to grow before he reached his ceiling, the coach explained:

If I were a betting man I would say yes, because he’s still young, and he’s playing with two young players so I think as they all mature together get holder, I think it’s only going to get better. What’s his ceiling? I don’t know; I don’t want to think about his ceiling because I want him to dictate what that ceiling’s going to be. It’s fun to be part of his journey and just watch him evolve as a player, take charge, and lead. It’s been impressive this year.

- Martin St-Louis on Nick Suzuki

With two points tonight, Suzuki broke the point-per-game barrier. He has 83 on the season and still has six games left. As for Hutson, with his goal, he now has 63 points and only needs one more to tie Chris Chelios’s record for the most points by a rookie blueliner with the Sainte-Flanelle. 64 points is also the total Guy Lafleur had in his rookie season, and the highest-scoring rookies ever for the Habs were Kjell Dahlin and Mats Naslund, who both managed 71 points. Is it wild to think Hutson could potentially get there?

Saturday night's game was Montreal's ninth third-period comeback win of the season, while that's quite a feat, they need to start playing earlier, especially if they qualify for the playoffs. Those late starts won't fly when teams are playing for the Stanley Cup. 

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895! Alex Ovechkin breaks Wayne Gretzky's NHL all-time goals record originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Shortly after Wayne Gretzky became the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer in 1994, his father mentioned how someone, someday, would break his record.

“I looked at my dad,” Gretzky recently recalled, “and said, ‘Well can I enjoy this for just a couple days?'”

Gretzky enjoyed holding the record for more than 30 years – and then that someone appeared, and that someday arrived.

It was Alex Ovechkin on April 6, 2025.

The date will forever be etched in history as the day the Washington Capitals star scored his 895^th career goal to break Gretzky’s record and become the top goal scorer in league history.

The 39-year-old Ovechkin netted the record-breaking goal Sunday during the Capitals’ 4-1 loss to theNew York Islanders at UBS Arena on Long Island. He scored on the power play with 12:34 remaining in the second period, firing a one-timer off a feed from longtime teammate Tom Wilson past Islanders goalie, and fellow Russian, Ilya Sorokin.

Ovechkin reached 895 goals in his 1,487th game — the same number of games Gretzky played in his NHL 20-year career.

“I’m probably gonna need a couple more days or maybe a couple weeks to realize what does it mean to be number one,” Ovechkin said after the game. “But all I can say is, I’m very proud for myself, I’m very proud for my family, for all my teammates that helped me to reach that milestone, and for all my coaches. It’s huge. It’s an unbelievable moment.”

After scoring the goal, Ovechkin celebrated with a belly-flop, sliding towards center ice on his stomach before he was mobbed by teammates. The goal sent the thousands of Capitals fans among the 17,000-plus in attendance into a raucous celebration.

The game was paused for a roughly 20-minute ceremony that marked the completion of what has been dubbed “The GR8 Chase.”

Gretzky, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Ovechkin’s family joined Ovechkin on the ice.

“They say records are made to be broken,” Gretzky said during the ceremony, “but I’m not sure who’s going to get more goals than that.”

Records sure are made to be broken, but greatness is rarely expected to be matched. And yet, “The Great One” himself is now second greatest on the league’s most hallowed statistical list.

Ovechkin’s climb to the top required longevity, consistency and availability – all of which he has provided since being selected first overall in the 2004 draft.

In his NHL debut on Oct. 5, 2005, he scored the first two goals of what would be a 52-goal season, the third-most ever scored by an NHL rookie.

Ovechkin, during his third season, scored a career best 65 goals. He has recorded nine 50-plus goal seasons, matching the record shared by Gretzky and Islanders legend Mike Bossy. He has scored 40 or more goals in a season 14 times, which topped Gretzky’s record of 12.

Alex Ovechkin milestone goals

• First — Oct. 5, 2005
• 100^th— Oct. 12, 2007
• 200^th — Feb. 5, 2009
• 300^th — April 5, 2011
• 400^th — Dec. 20, 2013
• 500^th — Jan. 10, 2016
• 600^th — March 12, 2018
• 700^th — Feb. 22, 2020
• 800^th — Dec. 13, 2022
• 894^th — April 4, 2025
• 895^th — April 6, 2025

Ovechkin won nine Rocket Richard Trophies for most goals scored in a season, three Hart Trophies as most valuable player, and the 2017 Stanley Cup, which was the first in Capitals franchise history.

With each goal along the way, he inched closer to greatness.

“Wayne, you’ll always be the ‘Great One’ and you had a record that nobody ever thought would be broken,” Bettman said during the in-game ceremony. “But Alex, you did it. You’ve been amazing.”

Gretzky had held the goals record since 1994 when he tallied his 802nd goal on March 23, 1994 to pass Detroit Red Wings legend Gordie Howe. Gretzky, who played primarily for the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings, scored his 894th and final goal came on March 29, 1999, as a member of the New York Rangers. He retired three weeks later at the age of 38, holding 61 NHL records at the time, including most career assists (1,963) and points (2,857), both of which still comfortably stand.

His goals record outlasted many Hall of Famers who took aim but fell short — with Jaromir Jagr scoring 766 goals before retiring in 2018 and Brett Hull netting 741 goals before closing his 19-year career in 2006.

Ovechkin in December 2022 became just the third player in league history to reach 800 career goals, joining Gretzky and Howe. He began his 20th NHL season in October needing 42 goals to top a record once believed to be unbreakable. He missed 16 games earlier this season with a fractured left fibula, pushing the record pursuit closer to the end of the season.

Ovechkin entered Sunday having scored in four consecutive games. He scored twice on Friday against the Chicago Blackhawks, including career goal No. 894 to tie Gretzky’s record total.

He broke it with just five games remaining for the Capitals in the regular season.

“Finally, I’m not gonna have those questions of when do you think you’re gonna break it,” Ovechkin said. “It’s already done. So, gonna have to figure out what the next question is gonna be. For me and for all the boys, it’s a fun time. You can see how many people traveled from all over the world to see that moment. It’s special.”

Ovechkin will now look to become the first NHL player to score 900 career goals, a club he will remain the sole member of for quite some time, if not permanently.

Until – of course – someone, someday comes along.

How to watch Alex Ovechkin attempt to break the NHL's goal record originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Alex Ovechkin’s next goal will be one of the most historic in hockey history.

That adds interest, intrigue and intensity to every shot he takes until the puck finds the back of the net.

Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals face the New York Islanders on Sunday as UBS Arena on Long Island becomes the center of the hockey world — and the potential host of history.

Ovechkin scored his 894th career goal on Friday to match the NHL record long held by Wayne Gretzky.

The 39-year-old Ovechkin, playing in his 20th season, will now look to take sole possession of one of the most revered records in sports.

Here’s how to watch.

When does Alex Ovechkin play?

Ovechkin and the Capitals play the New York Islanders on Sunday, April 6.

What time is the Capitals game?

The Capitals’ game against the Islanders will be Sunday at 12:30 p.m. ET.

What channel is the Capitals game on?

The game between Ovechkin’s Capitals and the Islanders will be broadcasted nationally on TNT.

How to stream Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals

Sunday’s game between the Capitals and Islanders can be streamed on Max, the TNT app and TNTdrama.com.

How much are tickets to the Capitals game?

As of Sunday morning, the least expensive pair of tickets available on StubHub to see Ovechkin potentially break the goals record at UBS Arena in New York were $229 including fees for standing room only. The most expensive pair available on StubHub were located on the lower level at over $30,000 each.

How many goals does Alex Ovechkin have?

Ovechkin has scored 894 career goals, including 41 this season.

Who is the NHL’s all-time leading scorer?

Here’s a look at the NHL’s top 10 goal scorers of all time:

• T-1. Wayne Gretzky: 894
• T-1. Alex Ovechkin: 894
• 3. Gordie Howe: 801
• 4. Jaromir Jagr: 766
• 5. Brett Hull: 741
• 6. Marcel Dionne: 731
• 7. Phil Esposito: 717
• 8. Mike Gartner: 708
• 9. Mark Messier: 694
• 10. Steve Yzerman: 692

When do the Capitals play?

The Capitals have six games remaining this season. Here’s how to watch:

• Sunday, April 6, at New York Islanders, 12:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
• Thursday, April 10, vs. Carolina Hurricanes, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
• Saturday, April 12, at Columbus Blue Jackets, 12:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
• Sunday, April 13, vs. Columbus Blue Jackets, 6 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
• Tuesday, April 15, at New York Islanders, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
• Thursday, April 17, at Pittsburgh Penguins, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)

The Calgary Flames were beaten by the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 in OT in what was a nail-biting David vs Goliath encounter on Saturday night. While the home side put on a valiant effort, the Vancouver Canucks, who won their game earlier in the day, are now just two points below the Flames, and are certainly believers that the second wild-card spot is well within reach, at the cost of Calgary’s own playoff hopes. 

Here are my three takeaways from this game:

1)      Power play is not looking too hot

After a brief improvement in man-advantage situations against Anaheim, the Flames power play relapsed against the Knights.

How bad?

Calgary couldn’t set up a shot on goal in their first, second and fourth/final power plays.

Oh, but it’s even worse…

The Flames had four power plays of eight minutes, where they had an expected goals value of 0.32. That is LESS than the 0.35 that the Knights produced in their 3:29 minutes of 5-on-4 advantage in regulation alone.

(Source: Natural Stat Trick)

2)       Tied at end of regulation, but Vegas dominated the stats sheet

We talked in the preview article that in the season series, Calgary had 23.5 shots on goal per game against Vegas (second-worst against any team this season), while Vegas had 37.5 against Calgary (third-best against any team this season).

Well, it wasn’t much different this game as Calgary had 23 shots on and Vegas had 34.  The Flames were outshot by 11.

Vegas had an expected goal value of 1.56 and Calgary had 3.38.

 A difference of 1.82.

(Source: Natural Stat Trick)

3)      Dustin Wolf 

Perhaps the only reason why the Flames were in this game was because of Wolf. The California-native netminder put on a save percentage of 91.2 in the loss, and the fact that he was given the First-Star award, in a game against a top-quality opponent, is evidence of his rising stardom. The final play of game should not change any of that.