Countdown to 894: The Alex Ovechkin goal-scoring tracker

November 19, 2024 ndowd

After breaking the 800-goal barrier during the 2022-23 season, Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin now has his sights set on breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goals record of 894.

Ovechkin began the 2024-25 season with 853 goals and now has 866.

The date when Ovi ties Gretzky depends on his goal-scoring pace. Per ESPN Research, if he continues his current 2024-25 pace, he would score No. 894 on Feb. 9 against Utah. Using his career goals-per-game pace, he would tie it on March 11 against Anaheim. Using his goals-per-game rate since 2020-21, the record-tying tally would occur on March 22 against Florida.

Follow along here as we chronicle each subsequent goal Ovechkin scores this season, including goal highlights, the upcoming Capitals schedule and how to watch.

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The NHL’s top 10 in career goals

1. Wayne Gretzky (894)
2. Alex Ovechkin (866)
3. Gordie Howe (801)
4. Jaromir Jagr (766)
5. Brett Hull (741)
6. Marcel Dionne (731)
7. Phil Esposito (717)
8. Mike Gartner (708)
9. Mark Messier (694)
10. Steve Yzerman (692)

Goals scored in 2024-25

No. 866, 865, 864: Nov. 17 vs. VGK

Back in 2018, Ovechkin and the Capitals won the Stanley Cup in Vegas. There was less at stake in this game, but Ovi came through with a hat trick in the Caps’ 5-2 win: a first-period, power-play tally (assisted by John Carlson and Dylan Strome), a second-period score assisted by Matt Roy, and an empty-net goal to cap it off (assisted by Aliaksei Protas and Martin Fehervary).

Alex Ovechkin lights the lamp

Alex Ovechkin nets goal for Capitals

Ovechkin’s 864th goal tips off defender’s stick

Alex Ovechkin nets his 864th career goal after his shot banks off Alex Pietrangelo’s stick.

No. 863, 862: Nov. 9, 2024 vs. STL

Did you seriously think that an 8-1 win for the Capitals would not include any goals from Ovechkin? Ovi scored in the second period (assisted by Aliaksei Protas and Dylan Strome) to make it 2-1, then added a power-play tally in the third (assisted by Strome and Tom Wilson) to make it 4-1.

Ovechkin tallies his 2nd goal of the game and 863rd of career

Alex Ovechkin’s wrist shot finds the net to pad the Capitals’ lead vs. the Blues and creep ever closer towards Gretzky’s scoring record.

Alex Ovechkin nets 862nd goal

No. 861: Nov. 6, 2024 vs. NSH

Ovechkin scored his eighth goal of the season at 10:25 of the third period on assists from Dylan Strome and Martin Fehervary.

Alex Ovechkin nets 861st NHL goal vs. Nashville

No. 860: Nov. 3, 2024 vs. CAR

Though the Capitals lost, 4-2, Ovi notched a first-period, power-play tally, on assists from John Carlson and Dylan Strome.

Ovechkin tallies 860th goal, 34 away from tying Gretzky

Alex Ovechkin scores on the power play, which is his 860th career goal, making him 34 shy of tying Wayne Gretzky for the most goals of all time.

No. 859: Nov. 2, 2024 vs. CBJ

Ovechkin was one of six different Capitals to score in the team’s route of the BJs, and his goal was assisted by Dylan Strome and Aliaksei Protas.

Ovechkin tallies goal No. 859 for Capitals

Alex Ovechkin slaps it in from distance to get his 859th career goal and pad the Capitals’ lead vs. the Blue Jackets.

No. 858: Oct. 31, 2024 vs. MTL

A 6-3 Capitals win with an Ovechkin goal as the capper? The fans went home happy from this one. Assists on this goal were from Aliaksei Protas and Dylan Strome.

Alex Ovechkin tallies goal No. 858 for Caps

Alex Ovechkin pads the Capitals’ lead vs. the Canadiens with his 858th career goal.

No. 857, 856: Oct. 29, 2024 vs. NYR

A raucous, 5-3 win for the Capitals included two first-period tallies from Ovi, both assisted by Aliaksei Protas and Dylan Strome.

Alex Ovechkin’s 857th goal puts Capitals back on top

Alex Ovechkin nets his second goal of the first period to retake the Capitals’ early lead vs. the Rangers.

Alex Ovechkin 856th goal gets the Capitals on the board

Alex Ovechkin scores early in the first period to give the Capitals a quick 1-0 lead over the Rangers.

No. 855: Oct. 23, 2024 vs. PHI

Ovechkin has a knack for empty-net goals, and added to his career total in that category to cap off a win against Philly, with an assist from Dylan Strome.

Alex Ovechkin scores goal vs. Flyers

No. 854: Oct. 19, 2024 vs. NJ

It took to the fourth game of the Capitals’ season for Ovechkin to get his first marker of the campaign, on assists from John Carlson and Dylan Strome.

Alex Ovechkin scores goal for Capitals

Alex Ovechkin nets goal for Capitals

Upcoming schedule

Note: All games available to ESPN+ subscribers at no extra charge as part of NHL Power Play on ESPN+, unless otherwise noted. Blackout restrictions apply.

Mon, Nov 18: at Utah, 9:00

Thu, Nov 21: vs. Colorado, 7:00

Sat, Nov 23: vs. New Jersey, 7:00

Mon, Nov 25: at Florida, 7:00

Wed, Nov 27: at Tampa Bay, 7:30 (TNT/Max)

Fri, Nov 29: vs. Islanders, 3:00

Sat, Nov 30: at New Jersey, 7:00

Tue, Dec 3: vs. San Jose, 7:00

Fri, Dec 6: at Toronto, 7:00

Sat, Dec 7: at Montreal, 7:00

Thu, Dec 12: at Columbus, 7:00

Sat, Dec 14: vs. Buffalo, 7:00

Mon, Dec 16: at Dallas, 8:00

Tue, Dec 17: at Chicago, 8:30

Fri, Dec 20: vs. Carolina, 7:00

Sun, Dec 22: vs. Los Angeles, 5:00

Mon, Dec 23: at Boston, 7:00

Sat, Dec 28: at Toronto, 7:00

Sun, Dec 29: at Detroit, 5:00

Tue, Dec 31: vs. Boston, 12:30

Thu, Jan 2: vs. Minnesota, 7:00

Sat, Jan 4: vs. Rangers, 12:00 (ABC/ESPN+)

Mon, Jan 6: at Buffalo, 7:00

Wed, Jan 8: vs. Vancouver, 7:30

Fri, Jan 10: vs. Montreal, 7:00

Sat, Jan 11: at Nashville, 8:00

Tue, Jan 14: vs. Anaheim, 7:00

Thu, Jan 16: at Ottawa, 7:00

Sat, Jan 18: vs. Pittsburgh, 7:00

Tue, Jan 21: at Edmonton, 9:00

Thu, Jan 23: at Seattle, 10:00

Sat, Jan 25: at Vancouver, 10:00

Tue, Jan 28: at Calgary, 9:00

Thu, Jan 30: at Ottawa, 7:00

Sat, Feb 1: vs. Winnipeg, 7:00

Tue, Feb 4: vs. Florida, 7:00

Thu, Feb 6: at Philadelphia, 7:00

Sun, Feb 9: vs. Utah, 12:30

Sat, Feb 22: at Pittsburgh, 3:00 (ABC/ESPN+)

Sun, Feb 23: vs. Edmonton, 1:00 (TNT/truTV/Max)

Tue, Feb 25: vs. Calgary, 7:00

Thu, Feb 27: vs. St. Louis, 7:00

Sat, Mar 1: vs. Tampa Bay, 12:30

Mon, Mar 3: vs. Ottawa, 6:30

Wed, Mar 5: at Rangers, 7:30 (TNT/truTV/Max)

Fri, Mar 7: vs. Detroit, 7:00

Sun, Mar 9: vs. Seattle, 3:30

Tue, Mar 11: at Anaheim, 10:00

Thu, Mar 13: at Los Angeles, 10:30

Sat, Mar 15: at San Jose, 5:00

Tue, Mar 18: vs. Detroit, 7:00

Thu, Mar 20: vs. Philadelphia, 7:00

Sat, Mar 22: vs. Florida, 5:00

Tue, Mar 25: at Winnipeg, 8:00

Thu, Mar 27: at Minnesota, 8:00

Sun, Mar 30: vs. Buffalo, 3:00

Tue, Apr 1: at Boston, 7:00

Wed, Apr 2: at Carolina, 7:00

Fri, Apr 4: vs. Chicago, 7:00

Sun, Apr 6: at Islanders, 12:30 (TNT/truTV/Max

Thu, Apr 10: vs. Carolina, 7:30

Sat, Apr 12: at Columbus, 7:00

Sun, Apr 13: vs. Columbus, 6:00

Tue, Apr 15: at Islanders, 8:00 (ESPN)

Thu, Apr 17: at Pittsburgh, 7:00 (ESPN)

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