A tremendous performance from Alexander Ovechkin Friday night saw him tie Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal record.

With Gretzky in the stands, it didn’t take long for The Great Eight to get on the board, as just 3:52 into the game he fired a shot past Chicago Blackhawks netminder Spencer Knight. Ovechkin continued to get looks throughout the game, including on power plays in the second and early third periods.

It was on the Captials’ third power play of the game, however, he would tie the record in fitting fashion, wiring a shot home from his office on the left side of the ice. His teammates poured over the bench and onto the ice crowding him, as the spotlight was on him at centre ice. At that moment Ovechkin would turn to the stands where Gretzky sat, bowing towards him.

The story took an interesting twist late in the game with Washington holding a one-goal lead and Ovechkin one goal away from the record.. Capitals head coach Spencer Carbury went to him on the ice, where it Ovechkin shook his head saying “no.”

After the game a post-game press conference alongside Gretzky, Ovechkin said he didn’t want to break Gretzky’s record on an empty net.

“I tell Carbury right away I don’t want to do it,” he said. “Stromer ask me, Carbury ask me, like ‘Do you want it? Do you want it?’ I said ‘Let’s wait.'”

It will be appointment viewing for hockey fans around the world on Sunday morning when the Capitals visit the New York Islanders, with Ovechkin eying the record. While he’s racked up 44 goals in 71 games against the Islanders in his career — the eighth-most he’s scored against any team — he has never scored against Ilya Sorokin, projected for the start by Daily Faceoff, in the two games he’s gone against him in his career.

Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the DFO DFS Report. He can be followed on Twitter, currently known as X, at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.