Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin scores goal No. 889, now six away from NHL record

During Tuesday night’s matchup between the Washington Capitals versus Winnipeg Jets, Alex Ovechkin scored his 36th goal of the season, putting him at career number 889 and just six away from beating Wayne Gretzky’s goal record.

The Russian winger scored in the third period on a feed from Aliaksei Protas, rifling the puck past Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck.

Winnipeg would go on to win the game in overtime with Danish forward Nikolaj Ehlers scoring the game winner.

Wayne Gretzky holds the all-time scoring record with 894 goals. Ovechkin sits at 889, so he needs just six in the next 11 games to break the record this season. Ovechkin missed time with an injury this season, but it hasn’t slowed him down. He’s on pace for over 40 goals, and would have likely broken 50 in a full campaign. The 39-year-old is playing some of his best hockey in recent memory, and the Capitals have been near the top of the NHL standings all season long as a result.

In 1,481 career games, Ovechkin has registered 721 assists and 1,610 points. He has won the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy nine times, scoring 50 or more goals on nine occasions and scoring a career-high 65 goals during the 2007-08 campaign.

Just last month, Ovechkin became the fourth player aged 39 or older to score 30 goals in a season.

Washington currently sits first in the Metropolitan Division, and with Tuesday’s win, they now sit with a 47-15-9 record and 103 points. The Capitals will face off against the Minnesota Wild on Thursday and the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday.

Also on Tuesday, the Capitals locked up a key part of their future, announcing that they have re-signed pending unrestricted free agent defenseman Jakob Chychrun to an eight-year deal that carries a $9-million annual average value.