Alex Ovechkin matched Wayne Gretzky`s record for the most goals in NHL history by scoring twice against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night. He had a chance to take the lead with an empty-net goal near the end of the game, but Ovechkin stated he didn`t want to beat Gretzky`s record in that manner.
Ovechkin`s second goal of the game, which also gave him the record for the most game-winning goals, tied him with Gretzky at 894 career goals. When the Blackhawks removed their goalie, Spencer Knight, late in the third period, Ovechkin decided to stay on the bench.
In a joint press conference with Gretzky, the Washington Capitals captain explained that he didn`t want to pass `The Great One` with an empty-net goal.
`I told him I don`t want an empty-net goal,` Ovechkin said. `Everyone keeps asking me, and I say, let`s wait.`
TV cameras caught Ovechkin seemingly refusing to go on the ice when coach Spencer Carbery suggested it with less than two minutes remaining. Carbery confirmed that Ovechkin wants to break the record by scoring on a goalie.
`He wants to break the record with a goalie in the net, which I respect,` Carbery said. `He didn`t want to go out… He told me that on the bench, and I wanted to double-check that he didn`t want to go back out.`
Carbery added that Ovechkin was eager to return to the game once the Capitals had secured the win with an empty-net goal.
`When the goalie came back in, he definitely wanted to get back on the ice,` Carbery said.
The player who benefited from Ovechkin`s decision was Leonard, who was playing only his third NHL game after recently joining from Boston College. The former first-round draft pick scored his first NHL goal on the empty net, and Gretzky gave him the game puck in the locker room.
Ovechkin`s next opportunity to score his 895th goal will be against the New York Islanders on Sunday afternoon. Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin can expect a lot of shots from Ovechkin in that game.
