Caps' Ovechkin scores 890th goal, five shy of Gretzky's NHL record / Photo: Hannah Foslien - GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
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Caps' Ovechkin scores 890th goal, five shy of Gretzky's NHL record
Alex Ovechkin scored his 890th NHL goal on Sunday, moving five away from breaking Wayne Gretzky's record of 894 in his Washington Capitals' 8-5 loss to the Buffalo Sabres.
Ovechkin struck at 9:11 of the third period, gaining position at the top of the crease and deflecting Rasmus Sandin's shot from the left point between the pads of Sabres goalie James Reimer.
His goal pulled the Capitals within 6-4, but Washington dropped their third straight game.
Despite the skid, the Capitals are leading the Eastern Conference and were the first team to book a Stanley Cup playoff berth.
Ovechkin's pursuit of Gretzky's record has energized the team and the 39-year-old remains on track to pass a record that once seemed unassailable.
Ovechkin, who missed 16 games with a broken leg suffered in an in-game collision in November, has 37 goals in 57 games this season.
The Capitals have nine games remaining in the regular season that concludes on April 17.
A.C.Netterville--NG
