# Ovechkin ties Gretzky with 894th goal in Washington as record chase reaches climax

Alex Ovechkin tied Wayne Gretzky’s NHL goals record on the event date by scoring his 894th career goal in the Washington Capitals’ 5-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.

The milestone came in a game that was already set up for theater and ended with it. Ovechkin scored twice, including the goal that matched Gretzky’s mark, and then passed on a late chance to fire at an empty net. He told coach Spencer Carbery he did not want to break the record that way, preferring to wait for a goalie in the crease.

That decision mattered because it shaped the way the night would be remembered. Ovechkin could have taken the easier route, but he chose to preserve the moment for the next goal. That refusal also reinforced one of the main themes of the evening: the chase was not just about quantity, but about style and symbolism.

The game itself reflected that mood. The Capitals celebrated on the ice after the tying goal, and the ceremony afterward drew in former teammates, family and, crucially, Gretzky himself. The packet says Gretzky flew in to be present, then joked that he would take as many empty nets as possible. The exchange between the two stars gave the night an unusually personal tone for a record-tying performance.

The source also notes that Ovechkin’s first goal came early in the game and that his second, the tying goal, came on the power play late in the third period. He finished with 41 goals on the season, including 10 empty-netters, and added another distinction by breaking a tie with Jaromir Jagr for the most game-winning goals in NHL history.

What makes the story durable is not just the number itself but the setting. Ovechkin tied a record many believed would stand for generations, and he did it in Washington before a crowd that understood the historical stakes. The packet says the NHL planned a short ceremony once he eventually breaks the record, with commissioner Gary Bettman, Gretzky, Ovechkin’s family and Capitals owner Ted Leonsis expected to take part.

The event date is April 4, 2025, and the main verified fact is simple: Ovechkin scored goal No. 894 and matched Gretzky at the top of the NHL list. The rest of the night, from the bench conversation to the crowd reaction, gave the record chase a fittingly dramatic frame.