Ovechkin entered this season needing 42 goals to break Gretzky's record of 894 career goals, which has stood since 1999. The Washington captain has 23 goals this season, with 31 games left. This season, he moved into second place with 20 consecutive 20-goal seasons and set a record for the number of goalies he has scored against in his career.

The 39-year-old winger took a pass from Rasmus Sandin on a 2-on-1 breakaway and fired it past rookie Leevi Merilainen, the record 179th goaltender he's scored on.

The resurgent Ottawa Senators go for a third straight win when they host the Washington Capitals on Thursday night.

Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin has scored goals against more unique goalies than any player in NHL history, passing Jaromir Jagr.

The Washington Capitals were certainly feeling the effects of a lengthy road swing start to weigh on them as they played the final game of their trip on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators, and between that and special teams,

With his overtime goal on Thursday, Alex Ovechkin has now scored against 179 different goalies in his NHL career — more than any other player.

Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals is closing in on the NHL goals record of 894 held by Wayne Gretzky. Ovechkin has 876 goals and needs 19 to break the record.

Alex Ovechkin had only recorded one goal in his last five games played until Thursday night. "The Great Eight" came up clutch when the Washington Capitals needed him most with a third period tally to close the gap with the Ottawa Senators to 4-3.

The Great Eight is within striking distance of Wayne Gretzky's all-time NHL goals record of 894, which Gretzky reached on March 29, 1999, against the New York Islanders. Ovechkin began this season with 853 career goals.

We're tracking Ovechkin's pursuit of Gretzky's goal record and trying to determine the game in which he's most likely to break the record.

Alex Ovechkin moved within 20 goals of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record with an empty-netter, helping the Washington Capitals beat the Seattle Kraken 3-0 on Thursday night for