WASHINGTON — An electric anticipation fills the arena each time Alex Ovechkin gets the puck.
The Washington Capitals` iconic captain has always captivated hockey enthusiasts, but recently, the atmosphere feels different. It is different. It`s palpable that soon, perhaps very soon, a new legend will ascend to the top of the NHL`s all-time goal scorers.
If Ovechkin senses the heightened excitement and expectation with every move he makes on the ice, he doesn`t betray it. He remains composed, whether positioning himself near the net or moving to his favored spot at the faceoff circle.
“I feel the same,” Ovechkin stated on Wednesday night, after netting his 892nd goal in a 5-1 defeat to the Hurricanes in Raleigh. The loss to a divisional opponent overshadowed any immediate celebration of Ovechkin’s 39th goal of the season, which brought him within three goals of Wayne Gretzky’s record. Yet, Ovechkin’s understated comments reveal his calm mindset during this historic chase.
“It’s just game by game, we’ll see what happens,” he remarked, projecting a casual demeanor in a red toque and hoodie. He sat before a backdrop displaying the NHL’s Gr8 Chase logo, a fixture that accompanies the team and is unveiled after each of his goals.
This legendary player, known for his actions more than words, approaches the game with his usual focus. However, for the rest of the hockey community, this moment is unprecedented. The NHL hasn`t witnessed a change in the all-time goal-scoring leader since March 1994, when Wayne Gretzky surpassed Gordie Howe with his 802nd goal. After Gretzky retired, 92 goals beyond that milestone, the possibility of anyone breaking his record seemed unimaginable.
Now, Ovechkin is on the verge of accomplishing this very feat and is accelerating towards goal No. 895. Following a consistent scoring pattern from mid to late March, which had raised questions about whether he would break the record this season, Ovechkin scored against the Sabres on Sunday with a skillful deflection, and followed it up with another goal in Boston – an easy tap-in, possibly the simplest of his career. Despite fatigue, the Capitals played in Raleigh on Wednesday, where the captain scored again – a signature one-timer from his prime power-play position.
If he extends his scoring streak to four on Friday night against the Blackhawks (game time 7 p.m. ET), anticipation among fans will surge. Should he score twice, he`ll equal Gretzky’s record of 894. A hat trick would etch his name in history.
A record that has stood for over thirty years, pursued by Ovechkin for two decades, might be broken in a single night.
Nicklas Backstrom is among those unsurprised by Ovechkin`s imminent achievement.
“I always believed if anyone could do it, it would be him,” Backstrom commented last month, when Ovechkin was seven goals away from history. Few understand Ovechkin’s scoring prowess better than Backstrom, his long-time teammate and playmaker.
“Perhaps you don’t see him score coast-to-coast goals as often as a decade ago,” Backstrom noted, “but he has always been versatile in his scoring – with deflections, one-timers, he simply has that innate ability.”
“He’s going to break it. It’s just a matter of time. That’s the kind of scorer he is. Sometimes, it seems the puck just gravitates to him, and he has a unique talent for putting it in the net,” Backstrom concluded.
Tristan Blackwood