The hockey torch has a new bearer.
Alex Ovechkin has etched his name in history as the National Hockey League`s top goal scorer of all time.
On Sunday, Ovechkin scored his 895th career goal against the New York Islanders, surpassing Wayne Gretzky`s long-standing record of 894 goals.
Gretzky had held this record for over three decades, until Friday when Ovechkin equaled it with two goals against the Chicago Blackhawks.
It only took one more game for Ovechkin, number 8, to claim the NHL record as his own.
In a fitting power-play goal, Ovechkin received a pass from Tom Wilson and sent a wrist shot from the top of the circle past Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin in the second period.
This goal marked the first time Ovechkin, 39, has scored against Sorokin, making him the 183rd different goalie to be scored on by Ovechkin.
Remarkably, Ovechkin`s 895th goal came in his 1,487th regular-season game, matching the exact number of games played by Wayne Gretzky in his career.
Adding to the coincidence, Gretzky`s 894th goal was also scored against the Islanders.
With this historic achievement, here`s a glimpse into the immediate reactions to Ovechkin`s record-breaking goal.
Tristan Blackwood