Capitals forward scores against Islanders goalie Sorokin at 7:26 of 2nd period at UBS Arena
© John McCreary/NHLI via Getty Images
Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals scored his 895th NHL goal on Sunday against the New York Islanders, passing Wayne Gretzky for the all-time record. We detailed the record-breaking goal and the previous 25 goals along with the corresponding one from Gretzky.
Date: April 6, 2025
Site: UBS Arena, Elmont, New York
Opposing goalie: Ilya Sorokin, New York Islanders
Time of goal: 7:26 of the second period
Summary: Ovechkin, shooting from “his office,” scored on the power play on a feed from Tom Wilson to pass Gretzky for the all-time record.
WSH@NYI: Ovechkin passes Gretzky for most goals in NHL history
Date: April 4, 2025
Site: Capital One Arena, Washington
Opposing goalie: Spencer Knight, Chicago Blackhawks
Time of goal: 6:14 of the third period
Summary: Ovechkin gave the Capitals a 4-3 lead with a power-play goal, beating Knight blocker side with a one-timer from the left circle.
CHI@WSH: Ovechkin ties Gretzky for most goals in NHL history
Date: March 29, 1999
Site: Madison Square Garden, New York
Opposing goalie: Wade Flaherty, New York Islanders
Time of goal: 17:53 of the third period
Summary: Gretzky broke a 1-1 tie with what proved to be the 91st and final game-winning goal of his career in the New York Rangers’ 3-1 victory. Brian Leetch took a slap shot from outside the blue line that Flaherty kicked into the right corner. Islanders center Trevor Linden collected the rebound there but was pressured by John MacLean and turned the puck over to Gretzky, who then cut in front. After Flaherty made a save with his left pad on the initial shot, Gretzky was able to bury his own rebound for his final NHL goal. It was also Gretzky’s 1,072nd professional goal — he scored 894 NHL regular-season goals, 122 Stanley Cup Playoff goals, 46 regular-season goals with the World Hockey Association, and 10 WHA playoff goals — breaking Gordie Howe’s record of 1,701.
Gretzky scores the final NHL goal of his career
Date: April 4, 2025
Site: Capital One Arena, Washington
Opposing goalie: Spencer Knight, Chicago Blackhawks
Time of goal: 3:52 of the first period
Summary: Ovechkin gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead with a one-timer from the bottom of the right circle off a pass from Dylan Strome, who was behind the net.
CHI@WSH: Ovechkin scores 893rd goal of his career for 1-0 lead
Date: Feb. 4, 1999
Site: Madison Square Garden, New York
Opposing goalie: Garth Snow, Vancouver Canucks
Time of goal: 16:21 of the second period
Summary: Gretzky had a goal and two assists in the New York Rangers’ 8-4 victory against the Canucks. He pushed the lead to 4-0 just as a Rangers power play expired, scoring with a quick shot glove side on Snow after Petr Nedved passed across to him in the right circle. It was Gretzky’s eighth goal of the season, ending a nine-game drought, and his 1,071st professional goal (NHL and World Hockey Association, regular season and playoffs), tying Gordie Howe’s record.
Gretzky finishes slick play for his 893rd career NHL goal
Date: April 2, 2025
Site: Lenovo Center, Raleigh, North Carolina
Opposing goalie: Frederik Andersen, Carolina Hurricanes
Time of goal: 19:25 of the second period
Summary: With the Capitals on a 5-on-3, Ovechkin scored on a one-timer from the top of the left circle off a pass from Jakob Chychrun.
WSH@CAR: Ovechkin scores PPG for the 892nd goal of his career
Date: Jan. 10, 1999
Site: Madison Square Garden, New York
Opposing goalie: Bill Ranford, Tampa Bay Lightning
Time of goal: 14:21 of the third period
Summary: Gretzky ended a nine-game goal drought by scoring on the power play to help the New York Rangers defeat the Lightning 5-2. Gretzky dropped the puck to defenseman Brian Leetch on the rush for a slap shot from the right point that Ranford kicked out with his right pad to Gretzky in the left circle. Gretzky pulled the puck from his backhand to his forehand before shooting it in off the bottom of Ranford’s right arm to increase the Rangers’ lead to 5-1.
Gretzky locates the loose puck and puts home his 892nd career NHL goal
Date: April 1, 2025
Site: TD Garden, Boston
Opposing goalie: Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins
Time of goal: 15:43 of the first period
Summary: With the Capitals on the power play, John Carlson sent a pass down low to Dylan Strome, who sent a one-touch backhand pass across the crease to Ovechkin, who scored into the open net to make it 2-0.
WSH@BOS: Ovechkin puts home a pass in front on the power play for goal No. 891
Date: Dec. 16, 1998
Site: Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Opposing goalie: Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils
Time of goal: 13:35 of the third period
Summary: Gretzky scored for the first time in six games and had two assists for the New York Rangers in a 6-3 loss to the Devils. His goal, which cut the deficit to 5-3, came on a breakaway. He was sent in alone by a pass from Niklas Sundstrom before beating Brodeur high to the glove side for his sixth goal of the season.
Gretzky buries on the breakaway for his 891st career goal
Date: March 30, 2025
Site: Capital One Arena, Washington
Opposing goalie: James Reimer, Buffalo Sabres
Time of goal: 9:11 of the third period
Summary: Ovechkin got position at the top of the crease between two defensemen and redirected Rasmus Sandin’s shot from the left point down between Reimer’s pads to cut Buffalo’s lead to 6-4.
Date: Dec. 2, 1998
Site: Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, New York
Opposing goalie: Tommy Salo, New York Islanders
Time of goal: 4:10 of the third period
Summary: Gretzky scored for the third straight game to help the New York Rangers extend their winning streak to three with a 3-2 victory against the rival Islanders. After Gretzky knocked the puck away from defenseman Scott Lachance on the forecheck high in the Islanders zone, Kevin Stevens pressured Lachance into turning the puck over to Gretzky along the left-wing boards. Gretzky cut into the slot before slipping a backhand in between Salo pads for his fifth goal of the season.
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Date: March 25, 2025
Site: Canada Life Centre, Winnipeg
Opposing goalie: Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
Time of goal: 16:00 of the third period
Summary: Ovechkin received a cross-ice pass from Aliaksei Protas in the left circle and ripped a wrist shot short side past Hellebuyck to tie the game 2-2.
Date: Dec. 1, 1998
Site: Madison Square Garden, New York
Opposing goalie: Sean Burke, Florida Panthers
Time of goal: 4:02 of the second period
Summary: Gretzky had his second consecutive three-point game (one goal, two assists) to help the New York Rangers rally for a 5-4 overtime win against the Panthers. Gretzky began New York’s comeback from a 2-0 deficit with a power-play goal. After taking a pass from Petr Nedved, Gretzky wound up for a slap shot from the top of the right circle that beat Burke high to the glove side for his fourth goal of the season.
Date: March 20, 2025
Site: Capital One Arena, Washington
Opposing goalie: Samuel Ersson, Philadelphia Flyers
Time of goal: 14:15 of the first period
Summary: Ovechkin slipped into open space left of the net as Trevor van Riemsdyk fired a shot from the right point. Aliaksei Protas pushed the rebound to Ovechkin, who swept the puck into an open net for a 1-0 lead.
Date: Nov. 29, 1998
Site: Madison Square Garden, New York
Opposing goalie: Mike Dunham, Nashville Predators
Time of goal: 9:15 of the first period
Summary: In his first game against the expansion Predators, Gretzky had three points, including his third goal of the season, in the New York Rangers’ 5-1 win. Dunham stopped Kevin Steven’s deflection on the initial shot, but Gretzky lifted the rebound in over him to snap an eight-game goal drought and increase New York’s lead to 2-0.
Date: March 15, 2025
Site: SAP Center, San Jose
Opposing goalie: Georgi Romanov, San Jose Sharks
Time of goal: 10:54 of the third period
Summary: Ovechkin redirected a shot from Martin Fehervary past Romanov from the bottom of the slot to give the Capitals a 5-1 lead.
Date: Nov. 7, 1998
Site: Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto
Opposing goalie: Curtis Joseph, Toronto Maple Leafs
Time of goal: 19:22 of the third period
Summary: Gretzky’s second goal of the season for the New York Rangers tied the game 6-6. With New York goalie Dan Cloutier on the bench for an extra attacker, Gretzky banked a shot in off Joseph’s pad from below the goal line to the right the net with 37.8 seconds remaining. It was the Brantford, Ontario, native’s 30th and final goal in 30 regular-season games at Maple Leaf Gardens, which closed later that season.
Date: March 9, 2025
Site: Capital One Arena, Washington
Opposing goalie: None (empty net)
Time of goal: 18:31 of the third period
Summary: With Seattle Kraken goalie Joey Daccord pulled for an extra attacker, Ovechkin backhanded a shot from the neutral zone to give the Capitals a 4-2 lead. It was also Ovechkin’s 1,600th NHL point.
Date: Oct. 17, 1998
Site: Pittsburgh Civic Arena, Pittsburgh
Opposing goalie: Peter Skudra, Pittsburgh Penguins
Time of goal: 4:50 of the second period
Summary: Gretzky had a goal and an assist for the New York Rangers in a 3-3 tie against the Penguins. With the Rangers on the power play, Todd Harvey deflected Brian Leetch’s shot through the crease to Gretzky, who was stationed outside the right post. Gretzky slipped the puck past Skudra from there for his first goal of the season and a 2-0 New York lead. Gretzky later assisted on Harvey’s tying goal with 6:25 remaining for his 2,800th NHL point.
Date: March 5, 2025
Site: Madison Square Garden, New York
Opposing goalie: Igor Shesterkin, New York Rangers
Time of goal: 10:28 of the third period
Summary: After Connor McMichael won a face-off in the offensive zone, he got the puck along the right-side boards and sent a centering pass between his legs to the net. Andrew Mangiapane helped the puck along to Ovechkin, who crashed the net to score with a snap shot from in front on the power play.
Date: April 15, 1998
Site: Madison Square Garden, New York
Opposing goalie: None (empty net)
Time of goal: 19:13 of the third period
Summary: Gretzky scored into an empty net to clinch the New York Rangers’ 4-2 victory against the New York Islanders. It was Gretzky’s 23rd goal of the season, tying Pat Lafontaine for the Rangers’ lead, and the 56th and final empty-net goal of his career. That total stood as the NHL record until Ovechkin scored his 57th empty-netter against the Boston Bruins on Feb. 10, 2024.
Date: March 1, 2025
Site: Capital One Arena, Washington
Opposing goalie: Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning
Time of goal: 16:01 of the third period
Summary: With the Capitals down by two goals, Ovechkin collected a loose puck in the slot and sent a wrist shot past Vasilevskiy to cut it to 2-1. It was his 31st goal of the season.
Date: April 7, 1998
Site: Madison Square Garden, New York
Opposing goalie: Jocelyn Thibault, Montreal Canadiens
Time of goal: 7:34 of the second period
Summary: Gretzky had a goal and an assist in the New York Rangers’ 3-2 loss to the Canadiens to move into second in the NHL with 86 points (22 goals, 64 assists) for the season. Gretzky’s breakaway goal on the power play gave New York a 1-0 lead. After taking a long pass up the middle from Niklas Sundstrom, Gretzky moved into the high slot before winding up for a slap shot that beat Thibault past his catching glove and went in under the crossbar.
Date: Feb. 25, 2025
Site: Capital One Arena, Washington
Opposing goalie: Dan Vladar, Calgary Flames
Time of goal: 4:52 of the third period
Summary: Ovechkin took a pass from John Carlson on the power play and scored short side on Vladar with a one-timer from the bottom of the left circle to cut the Flames lead to 2-1.
Date: April 1, 1998
Site: Madison Square Garden, New York
Opposing goalie: Byron Dafoe, Boston Bruins
Time of goal: 0:39 of the third period
Summary: Gretzky finished a rush play with Niklas Sundstrom and Alexei Kovalev to score his 21st goal of the season and cut the New York Rangers’ deficit to 3-2. After carrying the puck over Boston’s blue line, Gretzky passed to Kovalev, who pushed it ahead to Sundstrom. Gretzky got the puck back from Sundstrom and took a slap shot from the inside edge of the left circle that went under Dafoe’s right arm and off his jersey before trickling into the net. Anson Carter’s empty-net goal at 19:42 sealed Boston’s 4-2 victory, though.
Date: Feb. 23, 2025
Site: Capital One Arena, Washington
Opposing goalie: None (empty net)
Time of goal: 17:22 of the third period
Summary: With the Edmonton Oilers opting to pull goalie Calvin Pickard down by three goals, Ovechkin collected the puck in his own zone and shot it down the ice into the empty net to complete a hat trick and give the Capitals a 7-3 lead. It was his 29th goal of the season.
Date: March 22, 1998
Site: CoreStates Center, Philadelphia
Opposing goalie: Sean Burke, Philadelphia Flyers
Time of goal: 18:18 of the third period
Summary: Gretzky scored his second goal of the game and 20th of the season to tie it 4-4 and force overtime for the New York Rangers. Gretzky took a pass from Brian Leetch out of the corner and beat Burke from the right circle to complete his NHL-record 189th and final multigoal game of his career. Gretzky also had an assist, but the Flyers won 5-4 when Shjon Podein scored at 4:39 of overtime.
Date: Feb. 23, 2025
Site: Capital One Arena, Washington
Opposing goalie: Calvin Pickard, Edmonton Oilers
Time of goal: 18:39 of the second period
Summary: With the Capitals on a power play, Ovechkin one-timed a feed from Jakob Chychrun in the left face-off circle past Pickard for his second goal in 9:46 and 28th of the season to give Washington a 4-1 lead.
Date: March 22, 1998
Site: CoreStates Center, Philadelphia
Opposing goalie: Sean Burke, Philadelphia Flyers
Time of goal: 19:09 of the second period
Summary: Gretzky tied it 3-3 for the New York Rangers with 50.2 seconds remaining in the second. With the teams skating 4-on-4, Gretzky took a pass from Alexei Kovalev and beat Burke past his right arm with a one-timer from the high slot. Gretzky finished with three points (two goals, one assist), including another tying goal with 1:42 left in the third period, but the Flyers won 5-4 in overtime.
Date: Feb. 23, 2025
Site: Capital One Arena, Washington
Opposing goalie: Calvin Pickard, Edmonton Oilers
Time of goal: 8:53 of the second period
Summary: Ovechkin gave the Capitals a 3-1 lead when he took a drop pass from Dylan Strome and ripped a wrist shot from between the face-off circles past Pickard for his 27th of the season.
Date: March 11, 1998
Site: Madison Square Garden, New York
Opposing goalie: Kelly Hrudey, San Jose Sharks
Time of goal: 8:45 of the second period
Summary: Gretzky had three points (one goal, two assists) for the New York Rangers in a 5-3 victory, including his 18th goal of the season to tie it 2-2. With the Rangers on 5-on-3 power play, Gretzky took a pass from Alexei Kovalev and paused briefly before winding up and letting go a slap shot from the bottom of the right circle that beat Hrudey under his catching glove on the short side. It extended Gretzky’s goal streak to four games (five goals).
Date: Feb. 6, 2025
Site: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia
Opposing goalie: Ivan Fedotov, Philadelphia Flyers
Time of goal: 19:07 of the first period
Summary: Ovechkin pushed the puck up ice with a stretch pass out of the defensive zone, then received a return pass from Martin Fehevary and snapped a shot past Fedotov, going far side from the right circle.
Date: March 9, 1998
Site: Madison Square Garden, New York
Opposing goalie: Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils
Time of goal: 18:55 of the third period
Summary: Gretzky got a fortunate bounce to score with 1:05 remaining and give the New York Rangers a 2-2 tie in the second game of a home-and-home series with the Devils. Gretzky’s attempted centering pass to Kevin Stevens from behind the net deflected up off the stick of New Jersey defenseman Lyle Odelein and bounced off the chest of New Jersey center Bobby Carpenter in front before floating in over Brodeur’s shoulder. That extended Gretzky’s goal streak to three games (four goals) and gave him 17 for the season.
Date: Feb. 4, 2025
Site: Capital One Arena, Washington
Opposing goalie: None (empty net)
Time of goal: 19:59 of the third period
Summary: Ovechkin fired in a shot from the red line into the empty net that crossed the goal line in the final second of the game for a 6-3 win against the Florida Panthers.
Date: March 7, 1998
Site: Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Opposing goalie: Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils
Time of goal: 15:29 of the second period
Summary: Gretzky scored his 1,000th goal in the NHL, including 122 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and 16th of the season in the New York Rangers’ 6-3 loss to their Hudson River rivals. With the Rangers on the power play, Gretzky threw the puck in front from the right corner, and it banked in off Brodeur’s skate to tie the score at 3-3. The Devils pulled away, however, with three unanswered goals in the third period.
Date: Feb. 1, 2025
Site: Capital One Arena, Washington
Opposing goalie: Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
Time of goal: 12:21 of the third period
Summary: Ovechkin launched a slap shot from just inside the blue line that went in off Hellebuyck’s glove to tie the game 4-4.
Date: March 4, 1998
Site: Miami Arena, Miami
Opposing goalie: Kevin Weekes, Florida Panthers
Time of goal: 6:58 of the third period
Summary: Gretzky’s second power-play goal of the game stood up as the game-winner in the New York Rangers’ 4-3 victory. He batted in the rebound of Brian Leetch’s slap shot at the left post for his 15th goal of the season and 188th multi-goal game of his career. Gretzky had three points in the win, including an assist Niklas Sundstrom’s goal that gave the Rangers a 3-2 lead 28 seconds into the third period.
Date: Jan. 30, 2025
Site: Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa
Opposing goalie: Anton Forsberg, Ottawa Senators
Time of goal: 13:01 of the third period
Summary: With the Capitals on a power play, Ovechkin skated left to right to get to center ice inside the blue line and snapped a wrist shot off the right post to get the Capitals within one goal, 4-3.
Date: March 4, 1998
Site: Miami Arena, Miami
Opposing goalie: Kevin Weekes, Florida Panthers
Time of goal: 19:18 of the first period
Summary: Gretzky scored the first of his two power-play goals in the game with 41.4 seconds remaining in the first period to tie the score at 1-1 for the New York Rangers. Making his third NHL start, Weekes, a 22-year-old rookie, stopped the initial backhand shot by Brian Leetch, but Gretzky knocked in the rebound for his 14th goal of the season, ending a 10-game goal drought. Gretzky’s second power-play goal at 6:58 of the third period was the game-winner in New York’s 4-3 victory.
Date: Jan. 23, 2025
Site: Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle
Opposing goalie: None (empty net)
Time of goal: 16:32 of the third period
Summary: Ovechkin fired the puck three-quarters the length of the ice from just inside his own blue line along the boards to give the Capitals a 3-0 lead against the Seattle Kraken.
Date: Jan. 24, 1998
Site: Madison Square Garden, New York
Opposing goalie: Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils
Time of goal: 15:31 of the first period
Summary: Gretzky had three points (one goal, two assists) for the New York Rangers in a 3-3 tie against the Devils. The Rangers were on the power play when Gretzky tipped a Pat LaFontaine shot past Brodeur for his 13th goal of the season, cutting the Devils lead to 2-1.
Date: Jan. 16, 2025
Site: Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa
Opposing goalie: Leevi Merilainen, Ottawa Senators
Time of goal: 3:07 of overtime
Summary: Ovechkin took a short pass from Rasmus Sandin on a 2-on-1, skated to the top of the left circle, and roofed a shot over the blocker of Merilainen to give the Capitals a 1-0 victory. Merilainen became the 179th goalie Ovechkin scored against in the NHL, passing Jaromir Jagr (178) for the most in League history.
Date: Jan. 3, 1998
Site: MCI Center, Washington
Opposing goalie: Olie Kolzig, Washington Capitals
Time of goal: 19:38 of the third period
Summary: Gretzky scored his second goal of the game with 21.5 seconds remaining in regulation to complete the New York Rangers’ comeback from a two-goal deficit for a 3-2 victory. After receiving a pass from Niklas Sundstrom, Gretzky deked Capitals defenseman Calle Johansson to the ice before cutting to the middle and beating Kolzig glove side for his 12th goal of the season.
Date: Jan. 11, 2025
Site: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville
Opposing goalie: None (empty net)
Time of goal: 19:01 of the third period
Summary: Ovechkin blocked a shot near the blue line, retrieved the rebound and scored into an empty net with 59 seconds remaining in the third period for his 873rd goal in a 4-1 win against the Nashville Predators.
Date: Jan. 3, 1998
Site: MCI Center, Washington
Opposing goalie: Olie Kolzig, Washington Capitals
Time of goal: 4:53 of the second period
Summary: Gretzky began the New York Rangers’ comeback from a 2-0 deficit by scoring his 11th goal of the season. Bruce Driver’s shot from the left point deflected off teammate Darren Langdon to Gretzky at the right edge of the crease, where he knocked the puck in behind Kolzig. Gretzky scored his 874th goal with 21.5 seconds remaining in the third period to give the Rangers a 3-2 victory.
Date: Jan. 4, 2025
Site: Capital One Arena, Washington
Opposing goalie: Jonathan Quick, New York Rangers
Time of goal: 10:50 of the third period
Summary: After a face-off in the Rangers zone, the puck went off defenseman K'Andre Miller’s skate and landed on the stick of Ovechkin, who backhanded a shot underneath Quick’s right pad to give the Capitals a 5-3 lead.
Date: Dec. 28, 1997
Site: Madison Square Garden, New York
Opposing goalie: Byron Dafoe, Boston Bruins
Time of goal: 14:42 of the first period
Summary: Gretzky ended an 11-game goal drought to pull the New York Rangers even at 1-1. After Dafoe stopped Gretzky’s initial shot on a 3-on-2 rush, Gretzky circled behind the net and banked the puck in off Dafoe for his 10th goal of the season. The Rangers went on to win 4-3 on Brian Skrudland’s goal with 23 seconds remaining in the third period.
Date: Jan. 2, 2025
Site: Capital One Arena, Washington
Opposing goalie: Marc-Andre Fleury, Minnesota Wild
Time of goal: 15:08 of the second period
Summary: Ovechkin scored a power-play goal, his 18th goal of the season, with a wrist shot through traffic from above the left circle to tie the game 2-2. It was Ovechkin’s 28th goal in 47 games (46 starts) against Fleury, his most against any goalie.
Date: Dec. 2, 1997
Site: Madison Square Garden, New York
Opposing goalie: Olie Kolzig, Washington Capitals
Time of goal: 19:53 of the second period
Summary: Gretzky scored his ninth goal of the season by one-timing a one-handed centering pass from Kevin Stevens past Kolzig to pull the New York Rangers even at 2-2. The Capitals won 3-2 on Joe Juneau’s goal at 3:45 of overtime.
Date: Dec. 29, 2024
Site: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit
Opposing goalie: Alex Lyon, Detroit Red Wings
Time of goal: 12:04 of the first period
Summary: Ovechkin scored with a one-timer from the left face-off circle off a pass from Jakob Chychrun, cutting the Red Wings lead to 2-1. It was Ovechkin’s 17th goal in 20 games this season.
Date: Nov. 28, 1997
Site: Marine Midland Arena, Buffalo
Opposing goalie: Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres
Time of goal: 6:14 of the third period
Summary: Gretzky took a pass ahead from Niklas Sundstrom and stepped into a slap shot from outside the left circle face-off dot that went in over Hasek’s left shoulder to give the New York Rangers a 3-2 lead. It was Gretzky’s eighth goal of the season and the last of his 27 career goals against Buffalo. The Sabres rallied for a 3-3 tie.

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