Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) warms up before the game against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center at San Jose. David Gonzales-Imagn Images

Watch: Alex Ovechkin scores goal No. 887 off wicked deflection vs. Sharks

By Austen Bundy | Last updated Mar 15, 2025 7:53 PM ET

Alexander Ovechkin, or the "Great Eight" as he's called, is now exactly — checks notes — well, his jersey number of goals away from breaking Hockey Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky's all-time scoring record (894).

The Washington Capitals captain notched his 887th goal of the season on Saturday, catching the puck on a wild deflection in front of the San Jose Sharks' net to put his team up 5-1 in the third period.

An Ovi goal on the Cali trip was inevitable pic.twitter.com/YUK3kvFhHr
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 15, 2025

His net-front presence caught goalie Georgi Romanov by surprise, making him the 182nd different net minder Ovechkin has scored on in his career — extending his NHL record set in 2023-24.

The tally was Ovechkin's 34th of the season, which is good for fifth-most in the league even though he's only played 51 games.

The 39-year-old suffered a broken leg earlier in the year and was forced to miss 16 contests.

At 39 years old, Ovechkin ranks tied for fifth in the NHL in goals despite missing 16 games due to injury. Only Leon Draisaitl (age 29), William Nylander (age 28), Mark Scheifele (age 31) and Kyle Connor (age 28) have more goals than Ovechkin.
— Capitals PR (@CapitalsPR) March 15, 2025

With just eight goals needed to surpass Gretzky's record, Ovechkin is on pace to achieve the once-thought impossible feat by the end of the regular season.

He's specifically projected to do it on April 13 against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Washington's final home game.

Austen Bundy

Austen Bundy is a journalist and sports junkie from the Washington, D. C. area

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