WASHINGTON – Alex Ovechkin wants to be the NHL’s greatest goal leader ever, but under one condition.
“I don’t want an empty net,” Ovechkin said.
Ovechkin tied Wayne Gretzky’s 894 goal record in two tallies in a Washington Capitals’ 5-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night.
However, when the Blackhawks pulled goalkeeper Spencer Knight by signing the Capitals 4-3 late in the third period, Ovechkin told manager Spencer Carberry “no” and appeared to be sitting in the middle of the bench.
“He wants to break the record with the goaltender in the crease. “He said he just wanted to make sure he didn’t want to go out on the bench, and I wanted to check in that moment, so it’s hard for us as a coach: hat track, hat track at home. And he didn’t want to score on the empty net to break the record.
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Ovechkin said Carbery wasn’t the only one who asked him later in the game.
“I immediately say to carbs, ‘I don’t want to do that’ stromer [Dylan Strome] Ask me, Karly [John Carlson] Ask everyone, “Do you want that? Do you want it?” Ovechkin said.
Ovechkin said this at a press conference sitting next to Greetzky. Ovechkin has nine empty net goals than Greetzky did in his career.
Rookie Ryan Leonard scored in the empty net for his first career goal to seal the victory.
“The young man who scored his first goal tonight said, ‘I only have 895 to overtake Alex,'” Gretzky said with a smile.
“I’m happy with Leno,” Ovechkin said. “He scores his first NHL goal. The kids have a great future. Tonight is an incredible night for our organization, for hockey. DC Wayne Gretzky saw it.
Leonard scored and the Knight returned, Ovechkin was ready to attack again. The 39-year-old took four shots in the final minute, 18 seconds of game time, but to no avail.
“There’s a pretty good chance at the last moment,” Ovechkin said before joking: “If Stromer gives me a nice pass like a flat pass, it’s probably going to go in.”
The record-breaking goal included the entire Capitals team spilling on the ice, before Ovechkin filming a few laps, clutching his son Sergei, who was sitting on a glass, and Gretzky, who sat and kissed the crowd.
“You can’t script this,” Carberry said. “He’s right for O’s brand. He has dramatic talent.”
1,788 goals were scored between these two or 894#gr8chase pic.twitter.com/wyl0r3ocjw
– X-Washington Capitals (@capitals) April 5, 2025
After the game, the Blackhawks remained on the ice and shaking a handshake line with Ovechkin.
“Obviously, by the Hawks organization, what they did for “O” tonight is making it very classy. “We hopefully look forward to it, but this was an incredible night.”
The capital, leading the next Eastern Conference, will face islanders from Long Island, New York on Sunday.
Once Ovechkin breaks the record, the NHL will stop the game and hold a 7-10-minute ceremony. There are speeches and video compliments. 31 years ago, Gretzky was given the same treatment. He broke Gordie Howe’s record and kept Howe on hand. Bettman gave Greetzky a book with a game sheet as a gift.
Ovechkin scored in four consecutive games, scoring 41 goals this season, with 10 appearing in the empty net. He beat Knight 3:52 on Friday in the first term before finishing 894th in the power play at 13:47. It proved to be his 136th game winner and has beaten his tie with Jaromir Jagr so far.
I had an aura around skating on a Friday morning. There, Ovechkin felt lighter. The Capitals captain often smiled and laughed, especially when he got off the ice and interacted with some of his former Stanley Cup-winning teammates — Nicklas Backstrom, TJ Ossie, Braden Holtby, Brooks Orpic, and Devante Smith Perry — were given honors later in the evening’s ceremony as part of the capital 50 season. Ovechkin had friend and family conditions in town for Friday’s match.
“The best shower of my life” pic.twitter.com/gsom9eabrv
– X-Washington Capitals (@capitals) April 5, 2025
But the big guest was Gretzky. He flew to see his record breaking. He had held a record for 11,334 days since March 23, 1994.
“I’m very proud of the fact that I’m here tonight,” Gretzky said during media availability during his first break. “The other day the commissioner and I spoke and Alex said they wouldn’t come until they had two. Yesterday, I thought, “Well, we should get on the plane and get there. When he scored in four minutes, I was like, ‘Oh, my god, maybe we can leave after the first period.”
Bettman has promised to follow Ovechkin until he beat the Record, a journey that began Wednesday in Raleigh, North Carolina. Gretzky said he and his wife, Janet, will be on Long Island on Sunday.
Gretzky and Ovechkin texted regularly for the days leading up to Friday’s game. Ovechkin talks about how grateful he is for Greetzky’s support. This was easy for Gretzky.
“The integrity of the game,” Gretzky said. “When I was breaking Gordy Howe’s record, he was there and two years ago, if Alex approached my record, he said I was here.
