Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin made history Sunday, scoring his 895th career goal to break Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL record.
It’s an amazing accomplishment, no matter how you slice it, and Pittsburgh Penguins superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin — two NHL legends in their own right — were among those to congratulate Ovechkin.
“Ovi, it’s been an honor to compete against you all these years. Over that time, you’ve accomplished so many milestones, but this one was probably thought to be impossible, and you found a way to do it,” Crosby said in a video posted to social media by the Penguins. “Congratulations on scoring the most goals in NHL history. Hope you have a great night celebrating with your friends and family, and congratulations.”
Malkin, who, like Ovechkin, is from Russia, shared his heartfelt message in their native language.
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Gretzky held the all-time NHL goals record for 31 years before Ovechkin scored in the second period Sunday against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena. Now, Ovechkin stands alone, further cementing himself as one of the greatest ever.
Featured image via Geoff Burke/Imagn Images