Sports World Reacts to Alex Ovechkin Breaking Wayne Gretzky’s Goals Record

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin now has the most goals in NHL history, a hallowed record that touched off reactions from around the NHL and the broader sports world on Sunday.

Shortly after Ovechkin scored his 895th career goal Sunday against the New York Islanders, the Washington Nationals’ baseball game paused to recognize the accomplishment.

“Nats play Alex Ovechkin’s historic goal on the big screen to a loud ovation and OVI chants,” Nationals reporter Bobby Blanco wrote on Twitter/X. “Awesome moment back in D.C.”

The Baltimore Orioles congratulated Ovechkin on their Twitter/X account, writing “HISTORY MADE. Congratulations, O!!”

Bijan Todd, the Washington Wizards reporter for Monumental Sports Network, wrote on his Twitter/X account: “In honor of Alex Ovechkin breaking the goals record, here’s a video of him passing a 12-year-old me a puck during warmups in 2011. Thanks for everything, Ovi.”

The Capitals’ game against the New York Islanders paused for Wayne Gretzky, whose record Ovechkin broke, to give a speech as fans in attendance looked on.

“When I broke the record, my two kids were both the age of his boys, so it’s kind of reminiscent for me, and I’m so happy that two of my boys are here tonight,” Gretzky said, “but there’s nothing better than the National Hockey League. They say records are made to be broken, but I’m not sure who’s going to get more goals than that.”

“Ovi, all these years, nobody loves scoring goals more than you,” the retired Russian goaltender Evgeni Nabokov said in a recorded video message. “This is impossible without the love of hockey, and I know that you really love this game and your’e really passionate about it. Congrats, and enjoy this one.”

More to come on this story from Newsweek Sports.