LAS VEGAS -- Alex Ovechkin's "Gr8 Chase" is over.

And as Ovechkin gave a head-first Pete Rose-like dive across the ice immediately after career goal 895 went into the net on Long Island, I couldn't help but think about the nine times he's played inside T-Mobile Arena.

Certainly not as many visits as he's made to Madison Square Garden or the Bell Centre, but they've been memorable.

Who knew the Golden Knights' inaugural season in the league would be a historic one for Ovechkin? It was June 7, when the Capitals, established in 1974, would win their first Stanley Cup after defeating Knights in five games.

This season, he registered one of his two hat tricks of the campaign on Nov. 17, back at T-Mobile Arena.

"It's gonna stay forever," Ovechkin said after scoring goals 864, 865 and 866. "Memories that happen here, (like) back in (2018) - it's great."

Ovechkin also said, as many other players have during Vegas' first eight seasons in the league, the aura inside T-Mobile fueled what he already does best - figuratively, and now, literally - and that's score.

"It was (a) pretty cool atmosphere, like always," he said.

Here is a look at all 18 games Ovechkin has played against the Golden Knights:

Dec. 23, 2017, at Vegas - The Golden Knights continue their impressive debut in the league by improving to 23-9-2 with a 3-0 win over the Capitals. Ovechkin's lone contributions to the stat sheet were two shots and an interference call in the second period. He also finished -1 on the charts.

Feb. 4, 2018, at Washington - Vegas visited D.C. for the first time, and in front of 18,506 pulled out a come-from-behind win, overcoming three one-goal deficits. Again, Ovechkin is held without a goal, and this time had just one shot.

May 28, 2018, at Vegas - It's Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, both teams appearing in the final round for the first time - the Caps after 43 seasons, the Golden Knights after 1. Vegas draws first blood with a 6-4 win, and for a third-straight game, Ovechkin doesn't score despite throwing two shots on target. He does, however, get an assist on a third-period goal by Tom Wilson.

May 30, 2018, at Vegas - Finally, Ovechkin beats an old nemesis in Marc-Andre Fleury with a second-period power-play goal that gave the Capitals a 2-1 lead at the time. The Caps would go on to win the game, 3-2, as the series shifts to D.C. for Games 3 and 4.

June 2, 2018, at Washington - Ovechkin starts the scoring for Game 3, as he gives the Capitals a 1-0 lead just 1:10 into the second period. He'd finish the game with five shots, as he leads the charge to keep the pressure applied to Fleury and upstart Knights.

June 4, 2018, at Washington - Ovechkin wouldn't score in this one, but his mere presence kept the Knights on alert, as he did fire four shots on goal. He'd register one assist as the Caps dominated Game 4 to take a 3-1 series lead back to Sin City.

June 7, 2018, at Vegas - With the mere thought of tasting champagne overflowing from the Cup, Ovechkin got in on the scoring in Game 5, contributing to a 4-3 win with a second-period, power-play goal that put the Capitals ahead 2-1 at the time. Later in the period, he'd be called for tripping, which led to a Reilly Smith power-play that put the Knights ahead, 3-2. The Caps would score two third-period goals and Ovechkin's first hoist of Lord Stanley's Cup would be in Las Vegas, Nevada. Shortly afterward, he'd be honored with the Conn Smythe trophy. But in true Ovechkin fashion, he didn't hesitate to give credit elsewhere.

"He was unbelievable," Ovechkin said of Evgeni Kuznetsov, who finished the series with one goal and seven assists. "He makes the magic over there."

Oct. 10, 2018, at Washington - In their first meeting after the Cup final, the Caps dominated the Knights in a 5-2 win, during which Ovechkin scored twice - with both goals assisted by Kuznetsov.

Dec. 4, 2018, at Vegas - The return engagement would see the Knights get revenge, winning 5-3 behind two Nate Schmidt goals in the final 1:25 of the game. Ovechkin score his 20th of that season in the second period.

Nov. 9, 2019, at Washington - Again, the Capitals won the first meeting of the regular season, taking a 5-2 decision in a game Ovechkin was relatively quiet despite six shots on goal.

Feb. 17, 2020, at Vegas - Less than one month before the country was shutdown due to COVID-19, the Knights would even the season series with a 3-2 victory on home ice. And again, Ovechkin was held without a goal.

Jan. 24, 2022, at Washington - In their first meeting nearly two years after the pandemic crippled the world, the teams would meet in the nation's capital, and it would be the Knights in a tight affair, winning 1-0 behind his 20th career goal. For context, at that point, Ovechkin was in search of his 760th.

April 20, 2022, at Vegas - The teams would head into overtime for this one, after Ovechkin scored twice in regulation, including the equalizer with 6:24 left in the game. The Knights would win on Shea Theodore's goal 2:09 into overtime, but Ovi left Vegas with goals 779 and 780.

Nov. 1, 2022, at Washington - It would be the only game Ovechkin would play in against the Knights during Vegas' championship season, and his current teammate, Logan Thompson, would stop the lone shot he had against him during a 3-2 win. Ovi would miss the Jan. 21, 2023 meeting in Vegas.

Nov. 14, 2023, at Washington - Ovechkin got three shots on goal, against Thompson, but none would find the back of the net during the Capitals' 3-0 win on home ice. The win was rather significant, considering it was during Vegas' hot start - it dropped to 12-3-1 at the time - and also came on the same trip the Knights would visit the White House to celebrate their Stanley Cup win five months earlier.

Dec. 2, 2023, at Vegas - The Knights would get revenge for the shutout loss less than three weeks prior with a 4-1 victory. Ovechkin would get just one shot off in the game.

Oct. 15, 2024, at Washington - The Capitals were hosting Vegas in just their second game of the season, and got their first win after a 5-3 season-opening home loss to the New Jersey Devils. Though Ovechkin wouldn't score in that game, he did assist on two, including the game-winning helper to Aliaksei Protas in the second period.

Nov. 17, 2024, at Vegas - Ovechkin's 32nd career hat trick would take place on the same ice in which he won the Stanley Cup and was named the Conn Smythe winner six years earlier. Ovechkin opened the scoring in the first with a power-play goal, and scored the Caps' final two goals late in the second and an empty-netter with 37 seconds left. And, again, Ovechkin shared the praise with his teammates.

"I think we play hard," Ovechkin said. "LT (Thompson did) an unbelievable job. Everybody blocking the shots, everybody sacrificed their bodies."

Just .008 of his 895 career regular-season goals came against Vegas, but those eight potters - 610, 611, 627, 779, 780, 864, 865 and 866 - are now part of history, a record that once again seems insurmountable.

NEW YORK (AP) — Alex Ovechkin scored his record-breaking 895th career goal, but the New York Islanders beat the Washington Capitals 4-1 on Sunday.

Marc Gatcomb had two goals, Bo Horvat and Jean-Gabriel Pageau also scored, and Kyle MacLean had two assists for the Islanders, who won their second straight after losing six in a row. Ilya Sorokin stopped 28 shots.

Charlie Lindgren finished with 18 saves for the Eastern Conference-leading Capitals, who lost for the fifth time in seven games (2-4-1).

Ovechkin pulled the Capitals to 2-1 as he scored on a one-timer 7 1/2 minutes into the second period, breaking a tie with Wayne Gretzky. The UBS Arena crowd — with a large contingent of Capitals fans — let out a large roar as Ovechkin took a few steps toward the blue line and dove on the ice with his teammates mobbing him.

Gatcomb got his second of the game to restore the Islanders’ two-goal lead with 9:34 remaining in the second.

Pageau made it 4-1 at 4:20 of the third with a goal awarded after a review showed Lindgren pushed the puck across the line after initially making the save on the in-close attempt.

Horvat gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead 7:06 into the game as he beat Lindgren from the right circle for his 26th of the season.

Gatcomb doubled the lead at 9:00 as he charged to the net and deflected MacLean’s centering pass past Lindgren.

Takeaways

Capitals: Washington remained one point behind West-leading Winnipeg in the Presidents’ Trophy race. Both teams have five games remaining.

Islanders: New York pulled five points behind Montreal for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference with six games remaining. Montreal plays Nashville later on Sunday.

Key moment

Just 26 seconds after the Capitals went on their first power play of the game in the second period, Ovechkin fired a one-timer from just above the left circle off a pass from Tom Wilson for No. 895.

Key stat

Ovechkin has 45 goals in 72 games against the Islanders, including four in six games at UBS Arena, which opened in 2021. Sorokin became the 183rd goalie Ovechkin has scored against.

Up next

Capitals host Carolina on Thursday night, and Islanders play at Nashville on Tuesday night.

History was made as Alex Ovechkin finally claimed the all-time goal record from Wayne Gretzky. He scored goal No. 895 on the power play midway through the second period, assisted by Tom Wilson and Dylan Strome.

The celebrations for the occasion started with a bang as Ovechkin slid to center ice on his stomach after he ripped the puck past New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin. 

His teammates surrounded him, jumping up and down in excitement. Ovechkin then saluted the crowd at UBS Arena, filled with plenty of Washington Capitals fans. 

GOAL NO. 895 FOR ALEX OVECHKIN 🚨👑 pic.twitter.com/miN550EEg1

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 6, 2025

Throughout the ceremony and aftermath of the goal, Ovechkin expressed his gratitude for those who helped him get to where he is. He skated to the Capitals bench and thanked every member of the team’s staff.

While Ovechkin thanked his loved ones, the tribute video on the jumbotron played a compilation of his best goals as well as special messages, including ones from big-time celebrities. 

Michael Phelps, LeBron James, Simone Biles and Derek Jeter and more were among those who congratulated the new all-time leading goal scorer. 

The retired Mark Messier and Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews toasted him on his accomplishment. He also received recognition from Pittsburgh Penguins stars Sidney Crosby and his fellow countryman, Evgeni Malkin. 

Following the handshake line with the Islanders, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Gretzky were called to the carpet, where Bettman was booed as usual, and Gretzky received a roar of cheers.

The two joined the team at ice level to begin the ceremony. Ovechkin stood at center ice with his family, including his mother, wife, two sons and father-in-law.

Bettman made the opening statement, “We have all just witnessed history in front of greatness. Wayne, you'll always be the Great One, and you had a record that nobody ever thought could be broken. But Alex, you did it!”

The Great One was next on the mic, and it was all class. He paid his respects and recognition to the Islanders franchise and even made a joke about how he struggled at Nassau Coliseum, their old arena.

“They say records are made to be broken, but I’m not sure who is going to get more goals than that,” Gretzky said. Ovechkin was given a painting featuring both Ovechkin and Gretzky, while the Gretzky family provided a gift for Ovi’s wife, Anastasia.

Wayne Gretzky's speech as he passes the torch to the NHL's newest goals King, Alex Ovechkin 🐐 pic.twitter.com/DrEiRWxZ3O

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 6, 2025

Then it was the 'Great 8's' turn to speak. He wasted no time thanking his teammates, the Capitals organization, staff and, of course, his family for helping him on this journey. 

He jokingly thanked Sorokin, who was in net for the goal. It was the first time Ovechkin scored on Sorokin in his career.

Before the restart, Ovechkin took a group photo with his teammates, family, Gretzky and Bettman to cap off a great ceremony.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins played one of their best games of the 2024-25 season on Saturday against the Dallas Stars. They overcame one of the Western Conference's top teams in a thrilling 5-3 victory powered by a Sidney Crosby hat trick.

Let's discuss the latest Penguins triumph. 

Everyone Hits a Milestone 

Crosby opened the scoring, giving the visiting Penguins a 1-0 lead before Evgenii Dadonov collected two of his three to provide Dallas with a 2-1 lead through two periods.

However, Crosby tied things just 20 seconds into the third before capping off his four-point afternoon with an empty net goal for his first hat trick this season.

Penguins' Crosby Becomes 19th NHL Player To Record Multiple Hat Tricks After Age 36Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby recorded his 17th career hat trick on Saturday afternoon against the Dallas Stars.

In a news cycle where everyone talks about Alex Ovechkin, Crosby quietly secured his 13th 30-goal season and is one of the hottest players in the league, with 20 points in his past 12 games.

Meanwhile, Bryan Rust scored to make it 3-3 earlier in the third. His lamplighter tied a career-high that he established last season. Additionally, that goal was the 200th of his career. 

Moreover, Tristan Jarry secured his 150th win, becoming only the third netminder in franchise history to reach the plateau behind Marc-Andre Fleury and Tom Barrasso.

It Wasn't Pretty, But Jarry Saved the Day

Jarry gave up some soft goals to Dadonov, providing the forward with his second career hat trick, both against the Penguins. He finished the contest with a .875 SV% with 21 saves. 

Ultimately, he had to watch his old partner Casey DeSmith put on a goaltending clinic at the other end. DeSmith made 35 game-saving saves, with his best occurring without a stick.

Unfortunately, no one knows which version of Jarry will show up nightly, and the Penguins got a little mixture of both good and bad on Saturday, but he persevered and secured a much-needed win.

Penguins Can't Decide Where They Want to Finish

Penguins fans want this season's team to tank and get a top-5 pick while the players themselves are still playing with their backs against the wall. 

Pittsburgh Penguins Schedule: Remaining Games & Statistical NotesThe Pittsburgh Penguins are winding down their 2024-25 season and on pace to miss the Stanley Cup playoffs for the third consecutive season, a first in Sidney Crosby's 20-year career. However, there is plenty to play for in the final weeks of the regular season. 

Pittsburgh are not mathematically eliminated from the playoffs now, but they must win every game and hope the rest of the pack stumbles in the season's final week and a half.

Winning out and missing the playoffs by a couple of points hurts their upcoming draft position, but does it matter? The club has an absurd number of draft picks in the upcoming drafts, so no one can be upset where they finish. 

As professional athletes, they have never been out of the race, and outside of playing for personal milestones, qualifying for the Stanley Cup playoffs is always a skater's main goal every season.

The Vegas Golden Knights are searching for their 47th win of the season tonight against the Vancouver Canucks, but more importantly, they are looking to extend their Pacific Division lead. 

The Golden Knights defeated the Calgary Flames in overtime on Saturday, thanks to Reilly Smith's two goals. Pavel Dorofeyev recorded his 33rd of the season, but the Golden Knights blew a two-goal lead. In overtime, Smith banked a pass off of a Flames defender, which found its way into the net. 

Tonight's opponents, the Canucks, are in a weird situation. They are technically still in the playoff hunt but have little to no margin of error. With injuries to multiple key contributors, their chances of making a late push are slim. 

Despite that, the Golden Knights need to play with high intensity. The Los Angeles Kings are just three points behind the Golden Knights with six games to play. Avoiding a first-round matchup against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers is imperative. 

Akira Schmid picked up the win in his first Golden Knights start against the Flames, which means Adin Hill will retake his job as the starting goaltender. He'll duel Kevin Lankinen, set to make his 46th start of the season. 

Puck drop is at 7:00 PM PST at Rogers Arena. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Golden Knights stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

Washington Capitals winger Alexander Ovechkin surpassed Wayne Gretzky’s career goal mark of 894 goals on Sunday against the New York Islanders after tying the Great One in a 5-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday.

The 39-year-old reached the 40-goal mark for the 14th time in his 20-year career, with his record-breaking goal against the Islanders being No. 41.

Ovechkin’s career is littered with goals from his favorite spot at the top of the faceoff circle – exactly where he scored his record-breaking 895th career goal – but a number of his efforts show how versatile a talent he is. 

Here are 10 of the 'Great 8’s' most impressive goals: 

Playoff Game Winner Against Pittsburgh – May 2, 2018

The Capitals and Penguins battled in the Metropolitan Division for years, with Sidney Crosby winning out most of the time, but the Caps finally got past the Pens in the second round in 2018, with Ovechkin scoring the game-winner past Matt Murray late in Game 3.

The One-Handed Goal – Feb. 4, 2010

One of the best examples of the 'Great 8’s' incredible strength is when he goes through the legs of Michal Rozsival and one-hands an alley-oop shot over Henrik Lundqvist. 

Follow The Bouncing Puck – Jan. 25, 2014

Ovechkin has always been known for his incredible one-timer and powerful shot, but his hand-eye coordination is just as spectacular, as this goal against Carey Price shows.  

Nearly End To End  – March 1, 2011

A brilliant dash by Ovechkin after picking up the puck in his own zone, he blows by Frans Nielsen and backhands it by Nathan Lawson for the overtime winner. 

Dangling Against The Devils – Dec. 20, 2014

A phenomenal toe drag move that burns New Jersey defenseman Jon Merrill and beats Corey Schneider. 

From His Knees – May 2, 2015

Another jaw-dropping effort by Ovechkin who splits the Rangers defense in Game 2 of their second round series and fires the puck past Lundqvist. 

Weaving Through The Rangers – April 24, 2009

One of the best individual efforts you will ever see, as Ovechkin picks up the puck in the neutral zone, cuts to the middle, gets by two Rangers, and beats Lundqvist. 

Banking It To Himself – Feb. 18, 2009

Scoring in all sorts of ways is why Ovechkin is the best goal scorer in NHL history. This one is incredible, where he banks the puck to himself to get by Roman Hamrlik and then scores while sliding past Price. 

The Great 8 Surpasses The Great One – April 6, 2025

This was the one the hockey world had been waiting for. Midway through the second period, Ovi gets the puck in his favorite spot at the top of the faceoff circle and rips a powerful wrister past Ilya Sorokin, cementing himself as the greatest NHL goal scorer.

Ovi On His Back – Jan. 16, 2006

It may be fitting that Ovechkin’s most spectacular goal came against the team that Wayne Gretzky coached, as he scores from his back by shoveling the puck past Phoenix goalie Brian Boucher. 

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There it is.

The moment the whole NHL season has been leading up to finally happened on Sunday afternoon, when Alex Ovechkin scored his 895th goal to break Edmonton Oilers legend Wayne Gretzky's all-time record.

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. 

He did it in the most Ovechkin way possible, with an absolute laser from the top of the faceoff circle on the powerplay. Ovi has always been, above all else, a performer, and he sure put on a performance on Long Island on Saturday.

GOAL NO. 895 FOR ALEX OVECHKIN 🚨👑 pic.twitter.com/miN550EEg1

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 6, 2025

Gretzky himself was there to witness the record-breaking goal, having followed the Washington Capitals along with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman for the past few games as Ovechkin inched closer to the record.

"Some records are made to be broken, but I'm not sure who's going to get more goals than that," Gretzky said during a mid-game ceremony to celebrate the goal. 

It's hard to disagree with the Great One. Over his 20-year career, Ovechkin has scored an average of 49 goals per 82 games, taking exactly as many games to hit 895 as Gretzky did to score 894.

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Of all his great accomplishments, this season may be Ovechkin's finest. When he broke his leg in November, it seemed to dash any hopes of catching Gretzky this season. At 40 years old, he was slowing down, having scored a career-low 31 goals last season.

But Ovi came back with a vengeance and somehow sits second in the NHL with 42 goals despite missing 16 games this season. He broke the hallowed record by scoring at a 56-goal pace, the third-highest pace of his long and remarkable career.

Ovechkin now stands alone, having broken a record many thought unbreakable. All that's left now is to see how high he can climb.

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Alex Ovechkin asked Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin for memento after record-breaking goal originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Alex Ovechkin wanted to keep the hockey stick used when he scored his record-breaking goal.

No, not that stick.

Not the one he used to fire a one-timer past New York Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin for his 895^th career goal, breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals scored record during the Washington Capitals’ 4-1 loss Sunday.

He wanted the stick used by Sorokin, his fellow Russian.  

“I tell him right away I need that stick,” Ovechkin said after the game.

So, Sorokin not only gave up a historic goal, but also his stick.

Ovechkin scored the record breaker on the power-play with 12:34 remaining in the second period. He received a pass from Tom Wilson at the top of the left circle and fired past Sorokin for a goal that rewrote the history books.

Ovechkin and Sorokin embraced on the ice when the game was paused for a ceremony.

“Thank you, Ilya Sorokin, for letting me score 895,” Ovechkin said during the ceremony. “I love you, brother.”

Asked about Ovechkin’s comment by reporters after the game, Sorokin joked, “It’s okay. Anytime.”

Sorokin later personally delivered the stick to the Capitals’ locker room and posed for a picture with Ovechkin and Gretzky.

Ovechkin was asked what Sorokin asked for in return.

“He didn’t ask me,” Ovechkin said.  

Sorokin didn’t get any mementos, but he did get a victory.

Ovechkin had not scored in three previous games against Sorokin, a 29-year-old in his fifth NHL season. With the record-breaking goal, Ovechkin made his countryman the 183rd different goaltender he has scored on.

“I can say it was the first time in my life we stopped game for how many minutes and stay and play after this,” Sorokin said. “It’s a big moment for all the hockey world. Congrats to Ovi and his family. Big player and it’s an unbelievable achievement.”

And for Ovechkin, who now owns a cherished record, the stick he used to obtain it, and the stick that was unable to prevent it.

“It’s kind of a historical moment,” Ovechkin said. “A Russian scored against a Russian and set the record. It’s pretty cool. He’s such a great kid. My kids love him. It’s a tremendous moment, it’s a tremendous day for hockey, and that’s good.”

Today, hockey history was made.

Washington Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin has officially passed the Great One Wayne Gretzky for the NHL’s all-time goal record, scoring No. 895.

Alex Ovechkin Scores 895 To Become NHL's All-Time Leading Goal ScorerWashington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is the greatest goal scorer in NHL history.

A record that was once seen as untouchable now belongs to Ovechkin.

Ovechkin’s record-breaking goal came in fitting fashion—on the power play, from his signature spot at the top of the left circle. He beat fellow Russian Ilya Sorokin clean, notching his first career goal against the Islanders' netminder in the process.

🎙️ “The chasing days are done!!! Alex Ovechkin is the greatest goal scorer in the history of the NHL!” - Joe Beninati’s call of Ovi’s record-breaking goal. #ALLCAPSpic.twitter.com/wKUgkbwL0T

— NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) April 6, 2025

This goal was originally projected to happen on April 12th against the Columbus Blue Jackets, but it’s no longer something they’ll have to worry about defending. 

The Blue Jackets will face the Capitals on April 12th and 13th in what will be their final back-to-back of the season. But now, they'll be part of the post-record rather than the spotlight of breaking the record itself.

Ovechkin has officially rewritten history—and the NHL has a new all-time goal king.

Blue Jackets Need Win In Second Half Of Back-To-BackThe Columbus Blue Jackets went into this weekend’s back-to-back against the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators hoping to claw their way back into the second wild card spot in the East. Columbus Blue Jackets (77 pts) vs. Ottawa Senators (88 pts) Game PreviewThe Columbus Blue Jackets and Ottawa Senators play each other for the second time this season. Today's game will be the first leg of a back-to-back home-and-home situation for the two teams. 

ELMONT, NY -- Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin has broken Wayne Gretzky's record for most goals scored in National Hockey League history against the New York Islanders. 

At 7:26 of the second, he beat Ilya Sorokin blocker side on the power play for goal No. 895, sending UBS Arena into a frenzy:

Ovechkin has done it. #Gr8Chasepic.twitter.com/SYc4xcDSoP

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) April 6, 2025

Ovechkin was then joined on the ice by his teammates, Wayne Gretzky, Gary Bettman, and the Islanders players:

#Isles shake Ovechkin’s hand. Stay for Ovechkin embracing Sorokin: pic.twitter.com/hyDMUmmsZc

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) April 6, 2025

Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

Hockey history happened on Long Island.

In the second period of the Islanders’ matchup with the Washington Capitals, Alex Ovechkin scored his 895^th career goal, surpassing Wayne Gretzky for the most ever.

Trailing 2-0, the Capitals found themselves on the power play, allowing Ovechkin, who has the most power-play goals in NHL history, to put his name in the record books as he wristed one past Ilya Sorokin for the record-breaking goal.

With the Islanders’ crowd chanting “Ovi, Ovi,” the games was stopped for a ceremony to allow Ovechkin to fully soak in the moment, as he officially became the greatest goal scorer in NHL history.

ALEX OVECHKIN IS THE GREATEST GOALSCORER IN NHL HISTORY! 🚨🚨🚨 #Gr8nesspic.twitter.com/NKef3VvNaJ

— NHL (@NHL) April 6, 2025

When Jake Sanderson signed an 8-year, $64.4 million extension with the Ottawa Senators in September 2023, it raised eyebrows across the NHL – primarily outside of Ottawa. Critics questioned whether the young defenseman deserved such a big deal after only 77 games in the league.

With just four career goals and 32 points, some wondered how Sanderson could already be getting paid close to what superstar defenseman Cale Makar makes with the Colorado Avalanche.

This season, as that hefty new contract has kicked in, no one is talking in negative terms anymore.

When former Senators GM Pierre Dorion signed Sanderson to that contract, there was already a lot to like about the player, in particular a powerful skating stride that serves him so well in both short and long races for the puck—often erasing the rookie mistakes he'd sometimes make. Dorion was banking on the belief that the next-level, higher-end offensive production, his one missing ingredient, would eventually come as he continued to get more comfortable in the league.

He was right. So right.

On Saturday night, Sanderson had a goal and an assist to help lead the Senators past the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, 3-0. That gave him 53 points on the season and briefly moved him into the top ten in NHL scoring among defensemen, one spot ahead of former Senator Erik Karlsson (Sanderson slipped to 11th later in the day).

This new spike of offence has been a nice add-on to all the other things Sanderson does well. For example, in the past two games, some of the moves and breakout passes Sanderson managed to pull off to get the Senators out of heavy forecheck trouble were truly outstanding.

Sanderson now has 28 points in his past 28 games, a run that began in late January as we began to approach the NHL 4 Nations tournament. So he's almost doubled his points percentage (0.53) from the first 47 games this season, when he put up just 25 points. As the Sens stumbled into March on a five-game losing slide, Sanderson's breakout has been a game-changer in bolstering Ottawa’s playoff hopes.

Back in early February, Sanderson foreshadowed his imminent improvements in a conversation with The Hockey News.

"Yeah, at the start of season, I wasn't feeling myself," Sanderson said. "Right now, I feel pretty good. My energy is really good on the ice. I haven't scored in a while, but I'm getting a lot of chances, and that's all I can ask for. So, you know, they're gonna go in eventually."

Perhaps being talked about for a best-on-best tournament and then actually playing in it isn't bad for a 22-year-old's confidence. Sanderson described the 4 Nations experience as "life-changing," and maybe sometime this summer, he'll have a chance to reflect on individual accomplishments. But right now, he's all about helping the team get to the playoffs.

"We're confident where we are right now," Sanderson told the media last week. "We know we're playing good hockey. So at the end of the day, if we're losing, honestly, we're just beating ourselves. But yeah, like I said, we feel pretty confident right now."

Even with the full focus on the team at the moment, the way Sanderson is playing now makes it impossible not to notice the individual excellence. In Saturday's victory over Florida, Sanderson even made a little history, becoming the first defenseman in Ottawa Senators history with a four-game home goal streak.

With Sanderson not even through the first year of his contract and now locked up in Ottawa until 2032, his deal is already highly club-friendly. Based on the way the past two months have gone, we're betting it won't be much longer before it's regarded as one of the very best contracts in the NHL.

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Sens Headlines:

One On One: GM Steve Staios' Additions Help To Reset The Ottawa Senators

What's Going On With The Injury To Brady Tkachuk?

Battle of Ontario: Debating Who Would Win A Senators-Leafs Playoff Series

North Dakota Fires Brad Berry, Unofficial Member of Ottawa's Player Development Team

“He’s definitely a very, very, very good player,” the Washington Capitals’ director of amateur scouting, Ross Mahoney, told reporters on the night of the NHL entry draft in June 2004. He was talking about Alex Ovechkin, who the team picked first overall that night. “How good will he be?” Mahoney asked. “Time will tell.” Now, nearly 21 years later, time has had its say. On Sunday afternoon in a game against the New York Islanders, Ovechkin scored his 895th goal, passing Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL scoring record, a tally that had stood since 29 March 1999 and that few believed would ever be broken.

Related: Alex Ovechkin breaks Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL scoring record with 895th goal

Had things been slightly different in 2004, we might have been having this conversation a year ago. The NHL season after Ovechkin’s draft – the 2004-05 campaign – never happened, replaced instead by a long dispute between the league and the players’ union. Ovechkin bided his time in Russia, where he played 37 games with Dynamo Moscow. Finally, in autumn of 2005, he stepped on to NHL ice for Washington and, as Mahoney – and everyone else – expected by that time, he proved immediately to be a very good player. Ovechkin scored two goals in his first game, the first of an eventual 52 on the season (alongside 54 assists).

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That rookie year tally included what is still regarded as one of the most impressive, and improbable, goals of all time. During a game against the Phoenix Coyotes, Ovechkin somehow scored while sliding along the ice on his back, facing away from the Coyotes net. “It was unbelievable,” Auston Matthews, who was eight at the time and at the game that night, later recalled. “Nobody really cheered, they really couldn’t get their heads wrapped around what just happened. It was pretty crazy.” Also not cheering was the coach standing behind the Coyotes’ bench that night: Wayne Gretzky.

When Ovechkin helped bring the Stanley Cup to Washington in 2018, the first in the team’s history, he fulfilled the expectations that had followed him for his 12 NHL seasons to that point. And it certainly seemed like he knew it. Nobody celebrated with the Cup quite like Ovi did – nor, frankly, has anyone done it with the same reckless abandon since. The Cup also meant that Ovechkin solidified himself among the greats – as a man capable of scoring, but also winning. On that count, until Ovi began to close in on Gretzky’s goal record, he was most closely compared to Sidney Crosby, who entered the NHL a season after Ovechkin. The two have never been exactly stylistically identical, yet their points totals have tracked along eerily similar trajectories for the entirety of their careers. But until the Caps’ Cup, Crosby – with three championships – was usually regarded as the more accomplished player overall. While Ovechkin’s goal record may not fully balance things out, it seems fitting that, with it, the two players will likely be regarded in the long run as equals – the best examples of what the NHL has to offer.

Related: Et tu, Wayne: Gretzky’s legacy in Canada takes hit over 4 Nations snub

On the ice, anyway. Elsewhere, Ovechkin’s astonishing playing career may always be accompanied by an asterisk: a note about his unsavory, full-throated support for Vladimir Putin. In 2017, Ovechkin launched Putin Team, a social movement that, as he wrote in an Instagram post at the time, “unites people who are proud of their country and want to make Russia stronger.” It went on to say that Putin Team was for people who valued Putin’s “trust in and respect for his people, his fairness [and] righteousness, and the fact that he really cares.” Ovechkin recruited other Russian athletes to the cause, including Crosby’s longtime Pittsburgh Penguins teammate, Evgeny Malkin. In a separate post at the time, Ovechkin wrote that “I never hid my relationship with [Putin], always openly supported him.” Indeed, Ovechkin stood alongside Putin in his Instagram profile photo.

In 2022, after Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, Ovechkin was less open about the closeness of that relationship, but fell well short of criticizing the Russian leader. Unlike fellow Russian NHLer Artemi Panarin – who said, among other things, that Putin “no longer understands what’s right and what’s wrong” – Ovechkin only said that he didn’t want to see anyone get hurt or killed in the conflict and that he hoped “it was going to be over and we are going to be living in a good world.” As for whether he still supported Putin, Ovechkin said, “Well, he’s my president, but [like] I said, I’m not in politics, I’m an athlete.”

Obviously, that’s never really been true for Ovechkin, but it also feels increasingly that it can’t be true for anyone. When Ovi started out, perhaps athletes could more easily separate their sport persona with the world beyond the game. But over the course of the two decades of Ovechkin’s career, the political and cultural environment has changed significantly, as has the broad perspective of past actions. Now, nobody is free from scrutiny, and whatever dotted line that some athletes once tried to draw between politics from sports in the past, is now gone. Even Gretzky isn’t immune. Where for decades Gretzky was considered untouchable, his own recent close association with a controversial politician, Donald Trump, has undermined his greatness in the eyes of many of his fellow Canadians. The Great One is now, as they say, The Great Once.

Ovechkin is still great, as far as the hockey goes. That’s undeniable. But just as on his draft day only time could tell how great a player he’d be, history will now dictate how great he is ultimately considered to have been. When he talked to reporters after the game in Phoenix in 2006 where Ovechkin scored his greatest goal, Gretzky said it was “pretty nice.” “He’s a phenomenal player ... He deserves all the accolades he’s getting.” That’s still true. But by the same token, he will deserve everything else, too.

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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