Ovechkin made history Friday night, scoring twice at home in DC to tie Wayne Gretzky for the all-time goals record. The goal brought the crowd at Capital One Arena roaring to its feet, stopping play for several minutes as Ovechkin’s teammates poured from the bench in celebration. But after he took a moment to bask in the accomplishment — saluting his family, Capitals faithful, and the watching Wayne Gretzky — Ovechkin was ready to go for the hat trick.
With just under two minutes to go, the Chicago Blackhawks pulled goaltender Spencer Knight, giving Ovechkin had what could have been a clear chance for goal no. 895. Head coach Spencer Carbery and the rest of the team were ready to set Ovechkin up for the record-breaking marker, while fans watching on waited for him to take the ice. Ovechkin, however, didn’t want the story to end on an empty cage.
