Alex Ovechkin has etched his name in NHL history, now standing alone as the league`s most prolific goal scorer. On Sunday, Ovechkin scored his 895th career goal against the New York Islanders, surpassing the legendary Wayne Gretzky for the all-time record.
In the second period, during a Washington Capitals power play, Ovechkin received a pass from Tom Wilson and unleashed a wrist shot that flew past Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin. The crowd at UBS Arena, including opposing fans, erupted in cheers as Ovechkin celebrated with a slide across the ice.
An on-ice ceremony followed, featuring speeches from both Gretzky and Ovechkin, and a video tribute from prominent figures in various sports.
Following the game and the locker room celebrations, Ovechkin addressed reporters, sharing his feelings about passing `The Great One`. He also spoke about the presence of former teammates and the relief of achieving the record after much anticipation.
Here`s what Ovechkin said in his post-game press conference after breaking Gretzky`s all-time goals record:
On breaking Wayne Gretzky`s record:
“Honestly, even when I was tying the record, it felt unbelievable. It was such an emotional and incredible night. But this is even more surreal. I think it will take me days, maybe weeks, to truly understand what it means to be number one.
I am incredibly proud of myself, my family, all my teammates who have helped me reach this milestone, and all my coaches. This is a monumental and unbelievable moment.”
On the pressure being lifted:
“Yes, finally, I won`t have to answer those questions anymore, `When do you think you`ll break it?` It`s done now, so you`ll have to find something else to ask. For me and the team, it`s a joyful time. It`s amazing to see how many people came from around the world to witness this. It’s very special.”
On Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin giving him his stick:
“I immediately told him, `I need that stick.`… He didn`t ask for anything in return.”
On his belly flop celebration:
“No, the ice was bad today. I fell, and I`m sure it was a cool moment. It was cool.”
On the attention brought to hockey:
“It`s fantastic. It`s great for hockey, for D.C., for Washington. It`s great for us to be part of this. I`m sure there`s a huge celebration happening in D.C. right now, and back home in Russia, people are celebrating and happy. I`m just happy to be a part of it.”
On teammates Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie being present:
“When I saw Nicky, I almost cried. He`s been such a significant part of my success. We`ve grown up together, played together, and been through so much. Having him and Oshie here in that moment is incredible. It`s support, and it`s always been like that. I tell them, `Without you, I would have never reached this milestone.`”
On Sorokin congratulating him after allowing the record-breaking goal:
“Before the game, Dylan Strome and I were talking about how I had never scored against him before. I think I`ve only played against him twice. It`s a historic moment, a Russian player scoring against another Russian to set the record. It`s pretty cool. He`s a great kid. My kids love him. It`s a tremendous moment, a tremendous day for hockey.”
On Tom Wilson assisting on the record-breaking goal:
“He`s an amazing person. He`s capable of anything. He can fight, handle any situation. I`m happy for him and for Strome. Strome is probably one of the happiest people because he`s obsessed with stats. He knows everything and wants to be part of history.”
On his mindset during the power play:
“Throughout the first period, we had good opportunities. Sorokin made some great saves. It`s just about the situation, game by game, shift by shift, and seeing what happens. Tom made a great pass, I just shot it, and it went in.”
On the congratulatory video from stars like LeBron James and Michael Jordan:
“Having a video from legends is such a cool moment for me. It`s something I`ll cherish forever, and I`m grateful to them for the video. I`m happy and looking forward to going home.”
