Wayne Gretzky passed the torch on Sunday to Alex Ovechkin as the NHL’s all-time leading goal-scorer. (Geoff Burke-Imagn Images)
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect / Reuters)
Alex Ovechkin scored career goal No. 895 on Sunday, breaking one of sports’ all-time great records and passing hockey legend Wayne Gretzky as the NHL’s all-time goal scorer.
Ovechkin did so with a slap shot past New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin in a road game. The location on the road in New York didn’t matter. The crowd at UBS Arena was there on Sunday to witness history, and it erupted into raucous cheers for the goal that cut New York’s lead over Ovechkin’s Washington Capitals to 2-1.
Ovechkin’s teammates mobbed him on the ice as Gretzky, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Ovechkin’s family stood and applauded. A chant of “Ovi, Ovi, Ovi, Ovi” rung out from the UBS Arena stands as Ovechkin continued to celebrate the moment on the ice.
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The game was then paused for a ceremony on the ice commemorating the momentous achievement and a speech from Gretzky passing the torch to Ovechkin as hockey’s newly crowned greatest goal scorer. After a tribute on the UBS Arena video screen and an introduction from Bettman, Gretzky took the mic.
“I can tell you first-hand, I know how hard it is to get to 894; 895 is pretty special,” Gretzky told Ovechkin. “My congratulations to not only Alex, his mom and dad, his family, his wife and kids.
“When I broke the record, my two kids were both the age of his boys, so it’s kind of reminiscent for me. And I’m so happy that two of my boys are here tonight.
“But there’s nothing better than the National Hockey League. They say records are made to be broken, but I’m not sure who’s going to get more goals than that.”
After congratulating the NHL, Bettman and the league’s officials — the latter of which drew boos from the New York crowd — Gretzky again turned to Ovechkin.
“Alex, I said I’d be the first guy to shake your hand when you broke the record,” Gretzky said.
Ovechkin and Gretzky then exchanged a handshake and a hug.
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Gretzky then joked with Capitals owner Ted Leonis about the time he broke Gordie Howe’s record in 1994 as a member of the Los Angeles Kings.
“Mr. Leonis, congratulations,” Gretzky continued. “And when I set the record, they bought me a Rolls Royce. You’ve got your work cut out.”
Then it was Ovechkin’s turn to speak.
“What a day, huh? Like I always said all the time, it’s a team sport. And without my boys, the whole organization, the fans, the trainers, coaches. I would never stand here, and I would obviously never pass the Great One.
“Fellas, thank you so much. I love you so much.”
Ovechkin then joked with his Russian countryman on whom he scored the historic goal.
“Thank you, Ilya Sorokin for letting me to score 895. I love you brother.”
This drew a laugh from the Islanders home crowd.
“The last thing, all of you fans, all the world, Russia,” Ovechkin continued. “We did it boys, we did it! And the most important thing. To my mom, my family, my beautiful wife, my father-in-law, my beautiful kids, thank you. I love you so much. And without your support, I would never stay here. Love you guys.”
This news was originally published on this post .
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