Capitals' Alex Ovechkin Can Break Record With Another Career First

Alex Ovechkin is on the brink of history, but breaking the all-time goals record won't be an easy task.

Dec 29, 2023; Elmont, New York, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) attempts to put in a rebound on New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (30) during the third period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images / Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images

Alex Ovechkin scored twice in the Washington Capitals recent win over the Chicago Blackhawks, moving him into a tie with Wayne Gretzky for the most goals in NHL history at 894. The anticipation is building as Ovechkin and the Capitals travel to take on the New York Islanders, knowing he is just one goal away from history.

Despite Ovechkin’s scoring prowess, finding that one tally against the Islanders won’t be a piece of cake for the Capitals’ superstar. The Islanders will likely name star goalie Ilya Sorokin as their starting netminder against the Capitals. Sorokin is typically a top-notch goalie, but he's in rare company against Ovechkin.

Of the 182 goalies Ovechkin has scored on, Sorokin is not one of them. Sorokin is a fellow Russian-born player with seven career games against the Capitals. Of those seven games, Ovechkin has only appeared in three of them.

If you were wondering, Alex Ovechkin has 44 goals in 71 career games against the Islanders, including 27 in 37 road games. He has three goals in five games at UBS Center, which opened in 2021.

Ovechkin has yet to score a goal in three previous games against Ilya Sorokin (4 SOG).

— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) April 6, 2025

In those three meetings, Sorokin has gotten the upper hand with four saves on four shots from Ovechkin. The Islanders’ All-Star goalie has a 3-3-1 career record against the Capitals with 17 goals allowed.

No player in NHL history has scored against more goalies than Ovechkin, but somehow a goal against Sorokin has alluded him.

If the Islanders give Sorokin the nod, he’ll try and prevent history and keep a perfect streak alive against Ovechkin.

If/when Ovechkin scores No. 895 and passes Gretzky, the league is ready for a massive celebration. Whoever the goalie is will forever become a trivia answer and Sorokin will do his best to make sure it’s not him.

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