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Alex Ovechkin's Mother Shares Profound Message After 895th Goal

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated Apr 7, 2025 5:15 AM ET

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin became the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer on Sunday afternoon, surpassing Wayne Gretzky with his 895th career goal in a 4–1 loss to the New York Islanders at UBS Arena.

The historic goal came on a power play in the second period, off a pass from Tom Wilson and past fellow Russian Ilya Sorokin from Ovechkin’s signature spot at the top of the left circle.

The game was stopped for an on-ice ceremony, during which Ovechkin received tributes from NHL legends, teammates, and several sports icons for more than 25 minutes.

One of the most emotional moments of the ceremony came from a recorded video message by Ovechkin’s mother, Tatyana Ovechkin, played inside the arena.

Ovi's mom with a message for her son after breaking the all-time goals record ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Cga6sgjKQT
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 6, 2025

“Sasha, great job! You’re an amazing person, and I’m so proud of you,” Ovechkin's mother said. “I love you very much. I know that your dad is also incredibly proud of you right now because he did so much to help you become not only a great player but also a wonderful person.”

The message marked a rare public appearance by Tatyana, a former professional basketball player in Russia.

Tatyana's late husband and Alex’s father, Mikhail Ovechkin, was once a professional soccer player for Dynamo Moscow and passed away in February 2023 at age 71.

Mikhail had played a significant role in Ovechkin’s early development and remained a key figure in his life and career. Alex personally announced the news of Mikhail's passing.

Tatyana was present at the arena alongside Ovechkin’s wife, Nastya, and sons, Sergei and Ilya. The family stood together while NHL officials and Capitals staff honored the 39-year-old for breaking a record that had stood for 31 years and was deemed unbreakable until not long ago.

Ovechkin has played his entire 20-year career with the Capitals after Washington drafted him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 NHL draft.

Since he made his debut in the 2005 season, he's won nine Rocket Richard trophies, three Hart trophies, and a Stanley Cup championship in 2018.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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