Ovechkin beat goaltender Jet Greaves just over a minute into the period, the 184th different goalie he’s victimized in his 20-season career.
He’s fourth in the NHL in goals this season with 43, even after missing 16 games with a broken leg.
After passing Gretzky, every goal Ovechkin scores for the rest of his career is technically a record breaker. He still has one more year left on his contract with Washington.
The Capitals clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference on Thursday and will meet the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a victory over Columbus on Sunday.
