Mar 7, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) shoots the puck against the Detroit Red Wings in the third period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

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Alex Ovechkin Nets 886th Goal Closing in on Gretzky’s NHL Record

Ovechkin nets his 886th career goal, closing in on Gretzky’s record, as Washington secures its fourth straight win with a victory over Seattle.

Alex Ovechkin continued his pursuit of NHL history on Sunday, netting his 886th career goal into an empty net to cap off the Washington Capitals’ 4-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken. The goal puts him just nine away from surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s record, while also marking his 1,600th career point.

With the crowd chanting his name, Ovechkin’s backhanded shot from center ice sealed the game and gave him his eighth empty-net goal of the season, pushing him past Mikko Rantanen and Brandon Hagel for the league lead. He also extended his own NHL record for most career empty-netters, now sitting at 65.

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The game itself wasn’t short on drama. Connor McMichael broke a 2-2 tie shortly before tempers flared, leading to a chaotic sequence where all ten skaters were sent to the penalty box. Washington’s Brandon Duhaime was even given a 10-minute misconduct after continued jawing.

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Martin Fehervary and Dylan Strome also found the back of the net for Washington, while Charlie Lindgren stood tall with 30 saves. On the other side, Shane Wright and Jordan Eberle scored for Seattle, but the Kraken couldn’t string together back-to-back wins despite a solid effort from Joey Daccord, who made 20 saves on 23 shots.

Next up for Ovechkin and the Capitals is a three-game road trip in California, starting Tuesday night in Anaheim. With his next goal, he’ll surpass Gretzky for the most goals in a single calendar month, Gretzky set the mark at 157 goals in December, while Ovechkin sits at 157 in March. Another milestone is just around the corner.

Image Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Alex Ovechkin

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Anamika Shrivastava

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