Alex Ovechkin passes Wayne Gretzky with record 895th career goal: Capitals star makes history vs. Islanders

Alex Ovechkin has broken Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record. Ovechkin scored his 895th goal in the second period against the New York Islanders on Sunday to stand alone as the greatest scorer in league history.

Fittingly, Ovechkin ripped home a shot on the power play for the record-breaker. The missile zipped past Ilya Sorokin for his 325th career power play goal, extending his all-time lead in that category as well.

Gretzky passed Hall of Famer Gordie Howe in 1994, and he held the record for 31 years and 14 days before Ovechkin toppled it on Sunday. The climb for Ovechkin was a long and steady one as the Washington Capitals superstar has cranked out one 40-goal season after another since his rookie season in 2005-06.

Ovechkin pulled even with Gretzky thanks to a pair of goals against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday. With the chance to break the record in front of his home crowd, Ovechkin declined to go for an empty-net tally. Instead, Ovechkin said he wants to pass Gretzky by scoring on a goalie.

Where to watch Capitals vs. Islanders

Date: Sunday, April 6 | Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
Location: UBS Arena — Elmont, New York
TV: TNT, truTV