Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
April 4, 2025 - On March 29, 1999, Wayne Gretzky chipped in a loose puck to score his 894th and final career goal. It was a total that had never been achieved before, and for over a quarter century, it was the only time a player scored their 894th goal. But just over 26 years to the day later, one player suited up for a game just two goals away from becoming the second. For Alex Ovechkin, the stage was set. Two goals to tie the Great One, three goals to become the greatest goal scorer of all time. Were he to light the lamp three times, it would be the second time Ovechkin recorded a hat trick against the Blackhawks to hit a major milestone - youtu.be/K9fzJXY1bI8. In front of a packed Capital One Arena, Ovechkin drew within one just under four minutes into the game. The Great 8 would get his chances as the game went on, but couldn't find the back of the net again through the first 40 minutes. On a power play in the middle of the final frame, Ovechkin tied Gretzky in fitting fashion - a one-timer from the left circle to give the Caps a 4-3 lead. The bench emptied and fans were able to soak in the moment as Ovechkin equalled a mark that was once seen as unreachable. With plenty of time left on the clock, all anyone wanted was perhaps the most legendary hat trick of all time. Despite several chances, including a few that came tantalizingly close to going in, Blackhawks goalie Spencer Knight was able to fend off Ovechkin's final barrage of shots, much to the displeasure of the home crowd, who began booing Knight after saves. Chicago would pull Knight for the extra attacker, but Ovechkin opted to stay on the bench, not wanting to break the record on an empty netter. In the end, Ovi would have to settle for just a share of the record as the final buzzer sounded - a very similar fashion to his chase for 50 goals in the final game of the 2017-18 season (youtu.be/1_m9SMOjjnk). While it may have been slightly disappointing to come so close to breaking the big record on a hat trick, the Great 8's record-tying goal did give him his 136th game-winning goal, which broke a tie with Jaromir Jagr for the most in NHL history. And if people were afraid they might have to wait until the next season for 895, Ovechkin took care of that in the very next game - youtu.be/JkdxFIuaGGM.
- 1st Period -
0:00 - Intro
0:40 - Goal 1, 893rd career goal
- 2nd Period -
3:23 - Nice pass to Trevor van Riemsdyk
3:51 - Shot
4:04 - Dangle off faceoff and shot
4:39 - Between the legs pass
- 3rd Period -
5:00 - Goal 2, 894th career goal ties Wayne Gretzky for the most all-time
9:36 - Al Koken interview with Wayne Gretzky
11:00 - Breakaway chance
11:47 - Ovechkin stats compared to Gretzky
12:06 - Ovechkin tells Spencer Carbery he doesn't want to break the record on an empty netter
12:37 - Shot
13:16 - Crowd boos Spencer Knight after he makes a save on Ovi
13:40 - Ovechkin gets one more shot, crowd boos Knight again
14:18 - Final buzzer
15:17 - Blackhawks stay out to show Ovi respect
16:23 - Post-game interview with Al Koken
More classic Ovechkin games - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLH8bFa0t7qpQfBYEXybnEr9NbAqFcPyyq
April 4, 2025 - On March 29, 1999, Wayne Gretzky chipped in a loose puck to score his 894th and final career goal. It was a total that had never been achieved before, and for over a quarter century, it was the only time a player scored their 894th goal. But just over 26 years to the day later, one player suited up for a game just two goals away from becoming the second. For Alex Ovechkin, the stage was set. Two goals to tie the Great One, three goals to become the greatest goal scorer of all time. Were he to light the lamp three times, it would be the second time Ovechkin recorded a hat trick against the Blackhawks to hit a major milestone - youtu.be/K9fzJXY1bI8. In front of a packed Capital One Arena, Ovechkin drew within one just under four minutes into the game. The Great 8 would get his chances as the game went on, but couldn't find the back of the net again through the first 40 minutes. On a power play in the middle of the final frame, Ovechkin tied Gretzky in fitting fashion - a one-timer from the left circle to give the Caps a 4-3 lead. The bench emptied and fans were able to soak in the moment as Ovechkin equalled a mark that was once seen as unreachable. With plenty of time left on the clock, all anyone wanted was perhaps the most legendary hat trick of all time. Despite several chances, including a few that came tantalizingly close to going in, Blackhawks goalie Spencer Knight was able to fend off Ovechkin's final barrage of shots, much to the displeasure of the home crowd, who began booing Knight after saves. Chicago would pull Knight for the extra attacker, but Ovechkin opted to stay on the bench, not wanting to break the record on an empty netter. In the end, Ovi would have to settle for just a share of the record as the final buzzer sounded - a very similar fashion to his chase for 50 goals in the final game of the 2017-18 season (youtu.be/1_m9SMOjjnk). While it may have been slightly disappointing to come so close to breaking the big record on a hat trick, the Great 8's record-tying goal did give him his 136th game-winning goal, which broke a tie with Jaromir Jagr for the most in NHL history. And if people were afraid they might have to wait until the next season for 895, Ovechkin took care of that in the very next game - youtu.be/JkdxFIuaGGM.
- 1st Period -
0:00 - Intro
0:40 - Goal 1, 893rd career goal
- 2nd Period -
3:23 - Nice pass to Trevor van Riemsdyk
3:51 - Shot
4:04 - Dangle off faceoff and shot
4:39 - Between the legs pass
- 3rd Period -
5:00 - Goal 2, 894th career goal ties Wayne Gretzky for the most all-time
9:36 - Al Koken interview with Wayne Gretzky
11:00 - Breakaway chance
11:47 - Ovechkin stats compared to Gretzky
12:06 - Ovechkin tells Spencer Carbery he doesn't want to break the record on an empty netter
12:37 - Shot
13:16 - Crowd boos Spencer Knight after he makes a save on Ovi
13:40 - Ovechkin gets one more shot, crowd boos Knight again
14:18 - Final buzzer
15:17 - Blackhawks stay out to show Ovi respect
16:23 - Post-game interview with Al Koken
More classic Ovechkin games - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLH8bFa0t7qpQfBYEXybnEr9NbAqFcPyyq
