Eight. Nine. Five.

On April 6, Alexander Ovechkin scored his 895th career goal, one better than the previous record holder, Wayne Gretzky. The Washington Capitals would go on to lose to the Islanders 4-1, but the score was hardly on anyone’s mind.

Gretzky broke the record for the most NHL goals in 1994, passing Gordie Howe, who held that title for 30+ years. As the game of hockey has evolved, goals have become a more difficult task due to the size of defenders and goalie techniques. This made Gretzky’s record seem unbreakable.

21 years to the day before Ovechkin’s monumental moment, the Capitals landed the first overall pick in the NHL draft. With that pick, they would select Ovechkin. Fast forward to today, he has become an icon across Washington D.C. sports.

On Friday, April 4, Ovechkin had a two-goal game against the Blackhawks, tying Gretzky at the 894 goal mark. Ovechkin did so in one less career game than Gretzky. He had the chance to score an empty-net goal for a hat trick and the record in that game, but requested to stay off the ice and score that goal by beating a goaltender. This led to the first career goal of rookie Ryan Leoanard with the net empty.

Today, he receives a pass from Tom Wilson in his “office” (the left wing) and rips the shot home to the top corner. With 12:34 left in the second period, the game would come to a pause for a 22-minute ceremony commencing the historical moment.

The Capitals have five games remaining in this regular season and have clinched a playoff spot. With a four-and-a-half game lead over the entire eastern conference, the Caps are Stanley Cup hopefuls.

Featured Image via sports.yahoo.com