# Alex Ovechkin scores 884th goal to move 10 back of Gretzky’s NHL record

* Lightning beat Capitals 3-1 despite Ovechkin’s 884th goal
* Russian star now within 10 goals of tying Gretzky’s mark

Alex Ovechkin scored the 884th goal of his NHL career late in the Washington Capitals’ 3-1 loss to the red-hot  on Saturday, moving 10 away from tying Wayne Gretzky’s record.

Ovechkin beat fellow Russian Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning with four minutes left in the third period after getting stopped twice by him earlier.

> GOAL NO. 884 FOR ALEX OVECHKIN 🚨
> 
> OVI IS 11 AWAY FROM HISTORY 👀 <a href="https://t.co/MxRa8mxndU">pic.twitter.com/MxRa8mxndU</a>
> 
> — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) 

Ovechkin’s 31st goal of the season is his 12th in 22 games against Vasilevskiy. He’s now on pace to break the record in early April.

“,” Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh said. “You give him one little extra space there, he puts it home.”

Ovechkin’s 39-year-old goal-scoring performance has been a hit, and it’s an even more notable success considering he’s still double digits away from passing Gretzky.

“,” coach Spencer Carbery said. “Vasy did some unreal saves, but he’s going to get his chances. He’s arguably one of the best goal-scorers of all time, so he gets those chances in the slot, it’s tough to save those.”

Despite the 39-year-old scoring, the Eastern Conference-leading Capitals lost a third consecutive game for the first time this season.

“Finishing and getting on the board was huge, but I still think it’s going to get better,” Carbery said. “O is finishing at a real high rate coming out of the break. I think his play, chemistry and the whole product of our group – whether that’s his line or the power play – will continue to improve. I’m hopeful of that.”

With Ovechkin close to passing Gretzky’s record, Lightning coach Jon Cooper said before the game, “If he breaks the record tonight, then we did something wrong.”

Ovechkin did not quite do that, but he still took another step closer to making hockey history.

“He’s obviously feeling it right now with the way he’s been scoring,” Cooper said afterward. “Vasy did some unreal saves, but he’s going to get his chances. He’s arguably one of the best goal-scorers of all time, so he gets those chances in the slot, it’s tough to save those.”

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Sat 1 Mar 2025 15.50 EST

Last modified on Sat 1 Mar 2025 17.27 EST

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