Alex Ovechkin is just two goals away from making hockey history, and Friday night could be the moment everyone’s been waiting for.
The Washington Capitals superstar has 892 career goals heading into their matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks. That puts him tantalizingly close to Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record of 894 – a mark that seemed untouchable for decades.
Ovi’s been on fire lately, scoring four times in his last five games. His latest came Wednesday night against Carolina, though it wasn’t enough to prevent a 5-1 loss to the Hurricanes.
That goal was his 39th this season. Just one more and he’ll hit the 40-goal mark for an incredible 14th time in his career.
The timing couldn’t be better for a record-breaking night. The Blackhawks have been struggling defensively all year, giving up 272 goals – one of the worst marks in the NHL. Only Pittsburgh and Philadelphia have allowed more.
And Ovechkin loves playing against Chicago. He’s scored 15 goals in 25 career games against them.
The stage is set at Capital One Arena in Washington D.C., with puck drop at 7 p.m. ET. Hockey fans can catch what might be a historic moment on NHL Network or stream it on fubo.
With seven games left in the season, Ovechkin’s getting closer to passing The Great One. What seemed like a long shot earlier this year now feels inevitable – the only question is when.
A hat trick tonight would do it. And against this Blackhawks defense, anything’s possible.
