THE GR8 CHASE: Ovechkin scores goal No. 872, now 23 from breaking NHL record

Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals scored his 872nd NHL goal Saturday against the New York Rangers, moving him within 23 goals of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894. As Ovechkin closes in on the record, we’ll detail each goal he scores along with the corresponding goal from Gretzky. Here is the latest:

Goal No. 872

Alex Ovechkin

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.
Next game: at Buffalo Sabres, Monday (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, NHLN, MSG-B)

Wayne Gretzky

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.

Goal No. 871

Alex Ovechkin

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.
Next game: vs. New York Rangers, Jan. 4 -- one goal

Wayne Gretzky

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.

Goal No. 870

Alex Ovechkin

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.
Next game: vs. Boston Bruins, Dec. 31 -- no goals

Wayne Gretzky

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.