Alex Ovechkin is on track to break Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goals record

Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals is closing in on the NHL career goals record of 894 held by Wayne Gretzky.

Ovechkin has 868 goals after scoring 15 in the first 18 games this season. He needs 27 to set a new record.

Ovechkin entered the season 42 short of breaking a record by “The Great One” that long seemed unapproachable. The 39-year-old Russian is in his 20th NHL season and on pace to get to 895 sometime in late February.

Ovechkin scored twice in a 6-2 win over the Utah Hockey Club on Monday night, getting goals 867 and 868 in his first game in Salt Lake City before leaving in the third period with an apparent left leg injury.

Ovechkin’s goals on Utah goaltender Connor Ingram marked the 178th different goaltender he has scored on in his 20-year NHL career. He is tied for the league record with Jaromir Jagr. His first goal came with 8:55 left in the first period. He struck again 5:38 into the second.

It was his 177th multigoal game, which is second to Gretzky (189).

The Capitals play at home Thursday night against the Colorado Avalanche, though Ovechkin’s status is uncertain after being injured.

Ovechkin already owns the NHL records for power-play goals with 316 and shots on goal with 6,690.

He also has 132 game-winning goals, four away from breaking Jagr’s mark (135).

Ovechkin has scored on 178 different goaltenders and counting, tying Jagr.

Ovechkin earlier this season became the 60th player to record 700 career assists and is now at 707. He joined Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Jagr, Dionne and Phil Esposito as the only players with 700 goals and 700 assists.

Ovechkin, after climbing past Mike Gartner (708), Esposito (717), Dionne (731), Brett Hull (741) and Jagr (766), scored goal No. 802 on Dec. 23, 2022, to move into second all-time behind Gretzky (894).

Gretzky has held the record since scoring his 802nd goal on March 23, 1994, to pass Howe. He added 92 more before retiring in 1999 after a total of 1,487 games over 20 seasons. Ovechkin has played in 1,444 total games so far.

Gretzky holds 55 NHL records and even if his goals mark falls to Ovechkin — which he has said repeatedly he is excited about — two seem truly untouchable: 2,857 total points and 1,963 assists, which alone is more than anyone else has in goals and assists combined.