Alex Ovechkin has etched his name into NHL history, becoming the league`s all-time leading goal scorer. On Sunday, Ovechkin netted his 895th career goal against the New York Islanders, surpassing the legendary Wayne Gretzky.
In the second period, during a Capitals power play, Ovechkin received a pass from Tom Wilson and fired a wrist shot past Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin. The crowd at UBS Arena, including Islanders fans, erupted in cheers as Ovechkin celebrated on the ice.
An on-ice ceremony followed, featuring speeches from both Gretzky and Ovechkin, and a video tribute from major sports figures.
Following the game, Ovechkin addressed reporters about passing Gretzky, the presence of former teammates, and the relief of breaking the record after anticipation.
Here`s what Ovechkin said in his post-game press conference after achieving the record:
- On breaking Wayne Gretzky`s record:
- On the pressure being lifted:
- On Ilya Sorokin giving him his stick:
- On his belly flop celebration:
- On the attention brought to hockey:
- On teammates Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie being there:
- On Sorokin congratulating him after the goal:
- On Tom Wilson assisting on the record-breaking goal:
- On his mindset during the power play:
- On the congratulatory video from stars like LeBron James and Michael Jordan:
On breaking Wayne Gretzky`s record:
“Honestly, when I was tying the record, it was unbelievable. It was such an emotional and great night. But this is even more incredible. I think it will take me days or weeks to truly understand what it means to be number one.”
“I am very proud of myself, my family, teammates, and coaches who helped me reach this milestone. It`s a huge, unbelievable moment.”
On the pressure being lifted:
“Yes, finally, I won`t have to answer questions about when I`ll break the record. It`s done. Now you`ll have to find a new question. For me and the team, it`s a fun time. So many people came from around the world to witness this. It`s special.”
On 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:
“The ice was bad today. I fell, but I think it was a cool moment. It was cool.”
On the attention brought to hockey:
“It`s great for the game, for D.C., for Washington, and for us to be part of this. I`m sure there`s crazy celebrations happening in D.C. and back home in Russia. I`m just happy to be a part of it.”
On teammates Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie being there:
“When I saw Nicky, I almost cried. He`s been such a huge part of my success. We grew up and played together, been through so much. To have him and Oshie here is incredible. It`s support, like always. I told them, `Without you, I would never have reached this.`”
On Sorokin congratulating him after the goal:
“Before the game, Dylan Strome and I talked about how I`d never scored against him. I think I`ve only played him twice. It`s historical – a Russian scoring on a Russian to set the record. It`s pretty cool. He`s a great kid, my kids love him. It`s a tremendous moment for hockey.”
On Tom Wilson assisting on the record-breaking goal:
“He`s a great man. He can do anything. He can fight, handle any situation. I`m happy for him and for Strome. Strome is probably the happiest guy because he loves stats and wants to be part of history.”
On his mindset during the power play:
“Throughout the first period, we had chances, but Sorokin made great saves. It`s just about taking it game by game, shift by shift. Tom made a great pass, I shot, and it went in.”
On the congratulatory video from stars like LeBron James and Michael Jordan:
“It`s so cool to get a video from legends. It`s something I`ll always remember, and I`m grateful to them. I`m happy and looking forward to going home.”
