Alex Ovechkin stands alone atop the NHL's all-time goal-scoring list.

Ovechkin scored in the second period of the Washington Capitals' game against the New York Islanders on Sunday for his 895th career goal to break the record set by the legendary Wayne Gretzky 31 years ago.

Ovechkin scored at the 7:26 mark of the second period on a power play, beating Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin with a slapshot. 

The Russian superstar then dove face-first on his stomach onto the ice and was swarmed by his teammates. The game was then stopped for a lengthy ceremony.

 

ALEX OVECHKIN IS THE GREATEST GOALSCORER IN NHL HISTORY! #Gr8ness pic.twitter.com/NKef3VvNaJ

— NHL (@NHL) April 6, 2025

Ovechkin, 39, scored in his 1,487th career game - the exact same number of games played by Gretzky during his Hall of Fame career.

Gretzky was in attendance to witness history and watch what many believed to be an unbreakable record fall.

The goal was the 42nd of the season for Ovechkin, who ranks third in the NHL in goals in 2024-25.

He has scored in five straight games, tallying six goals and three assists in that span.

The Metropolitan Division-leading Capitals are 23-6-4 in games in which Ovechkin scores this season, and entered play Sunday atop the Eastern Conference.