Alex Ovechkin made history on Sunday by scoring his record-breaking 895th career goal, surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s long-standing mark. The goal came in the second period of the Washington Capitals’ 4-1 loss to the New York Islanders, with Ilya Sorokin in goal for the Islanders.
Prior to this game, Sorokin had not allowed Ovechkin to score in their first three encounters. However, Ovechkin’s powerful shot from the top of the left faceoff circle beat Sorokin, making him the 183rd goalie Ovechkin has defeated in his illustrious career.
Sorokin reflected on the moment, saying, “I feel a little bit of pressure. I just feel more part of what Ovi has experienced most of his life, and much more. It’s a good experience for me.” He admitted that he didn’t see Ovechkin’s shot through the traffic before it found the back of the net.
During his on-ice celebration, Ovechkin acknowledged Sorokin, saying, “Ilya Sorokin, thank you for letting me score 895. I love you, brother.” After the game, Sorokin brought his goalie stick to Ovechkin in the Capitals’ dressing room as a gesture of respect.
Ovechkin expressed pride in sharing the historic moment with a fellow Russian, stating, “It’s kind of a historical moment—Russian scoring against Russian and setting the record. It’s pretty cool. He’s such a great kid, and my kids love him. It’s a tremendous moment, a tremendous day for hockey, and that’s cool.”
When asked what he hoped to receive in return, Sorokin simply said, “Respect.”
Ovechkin had been held scoreless against Sorokin on four shots before Sunday’s game. He also failed to convert on his first three attempts but finally broke through on his fourth shot, which came during the Capitals’ first power play.
Islanders captain Anders Lee acknowledged the significance of the game, saying, “We did our best to limit what we knew was coming. We knew what was at stake, and it was going to be an exciting game. We got to witness some pretty cool history.”
With this goal, Ovechkin now has 45 goals in 72 games against the Islanders, including four in six games at UBS Arena, which opened in 2021. Interestingly, his 895th goal came in his 1,487th NHL game, coinciding with the exact number of games it took Gretzky to score his 894th goal, which also came against the Islanders—back on March 29, 1999, against Wade Flaherty.
Islanders coach Patrick Roy praised Ovechkin’s achievement, stating, “You have to take in the moment. It’s great for our game. You have to acknowledge what Ovi has done for hockey. When Wayne retired in 1999, no one thought any of his records would fall. Ovi deserves a lot of credit.”
Gretzky, who was present for the moment, humorously noted, “It’s nice that it wasn’t at Nassau Coliseum because I lost a lot of games there,” referencing his Oilers’ loss to the Islanders in the 1983 Stanley Cup Final.