Alex Ovechkin 2 goals from breaking Wayne Gretzky's record after scoring vs. Blackhawks

New York Times

04-04-2025

WASHINGTON — Lars Eller, all told, has played more than 600 games with Alex Ovechkin. Not as a passenger, either. Not by happenstance. In 2018, a bit before Ovechkin collected the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the playoffs, Eller scored the Cup-clinching goal.
This is a man who knows of which he speaks. And on Friday, when discussing Ovechkin's remarkable chase of what once seemed to be an unbreakable NHL record, he was finished with hypotheticals.
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'There's no question of 'if,'' Eller said. 'It's a question of 'when.''
A few hours later, Ovechkin got a little closer to the answer, scoring career goal No. 893 against the Chicago Blackhawks and putting himself two away from breaking Wayne Gretzky's NHL record of 894 with six more games remaining in the regular season.
Ovechkin wasted no time, scoring his 40th goal of the season 3:52 into the first period from the slot to beat Blackhawks goalie Spencer Knight.
The sequence was another finishing kick from the 39-year-old who has scored in four consecutive games, turning a big ask into a coin flip, and now, nearly, a fait accompli.
The goal was also his first scored in front of Capitals fans since March 30. In the days since, things have changed. Gretzky was in attendance at Capital One Arena, as were NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and plenty of family members and several former teammates, including Nicklas Backstrom, T.J. Oshie and Brooks Orpik. As rowdy as things were when Ovechkin scored No. 891 in Raleigh, N.C., on Wednesday, Friday night was something else entirely.
'It's great,' Ovechkin said before the game. '(Gretzky has) been supportive all the time to me. It's a fun time right now. … Obviously, I miss (Backstrom) on the ice, but it's nice to have him around. (Oshie), all of them.'
They, like Eller, know that history is close — and they won't have to wait long, or travel far, for his next attempt. The Capitals play the New York Islanders on Sunday at UBS Arena. After that, it's back to Washington for the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday, followed by a home-and-home next weekend against the Columbus Blue Jackets (including Washington's home finale), another road game against the Islanders on April 15 and Game 82 in Pittsburgh on April 17.
For now, the road show continues. Ovechkin is clearly embracing it — and his youngest teammate is, too.
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'Not a lot of guys get to say that they're in these shoes right now,' Ryan Leonard said of the spectacle on Friday morning. '(I'm) not trying to take a moment for granted and just have fun with all of it.'
It was a nice bit of perspective from a three-game NHL veteran. Leonard was playing for Boston College last week before joining the Capitals. He's not alone in his sentiments. The Caps, if nothing else, seem like they're enjoying the ride.
'I think it adds a little extra flavor to the season. I think it's fun to be part of and fun to see,' Eller said. 'It's just a question of time.'