Washington Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin tied Wayne Gretzky's record for the most goals scored in an NHL career on Friday as Ovechkin's Caps defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 5-3.

Ovechkin's two goals give him 894 for his career, tying Gretzky, who retired in 1999. The tallies, his 40th and 41st of the 2024-25 season, also pushed Ovechkin over the 40-goal plateau for a 14th season.

Gretzky was on hand to see Ovechkin tie his record.

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"Alex has been so great for the city of Washington," Gretzky said. "He’s been so great for the National Hockey League. And he’s encouraged so many kids in his home country of Russia to play the sport of hockey. He’s been nothing but a champion, and I am so proud that we’re tied. I can live with that for another 24 more hours. I can still say I am tied for the most."

Ovechkin reached the 894-goal mark in 1,486 games, one fewer than Gretzky.

"It’s a special moment. It’s great for DC. It’s great for all our fans. Doing it here in Washington is fun. It’s a pleasure to be in that category with those names," Ovechkin said.

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Although Ovechkin will almost assuredly become the NHL's all-time goal leader, there is one record he likely will not come close to catching Gretzky for: Gretzky collected 2,857 points in his career, which is more than 1,200 points more than Ovechkin.

Gretzky is the only player in NHL history with over 2,000 points.

The Capitals travel to New York to face the Islanders on Sunday, where Ovechkin could surpass Gretzky.