Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin entered Friday night two goals shy of tying Wayne Gretzky for the most all-time and three goals shy of setting a new NHL record.
With Gretzky in attendance, Ovechkin came through and tied The Great One with one goal in the first period and a second goal in the third period.
However, the opportunity was there for Ovechkin to secure the new all-time record, but he rejected it on principle.
Later in the third period, the trailing Chicago Blackhawks pulled goalie Spencer Knight, and that’s when Capitals coach Spencer Carbery approached Ovechkin.
Knight asked Ovechkin if he wanted to enter the game and was told “no.” The exchange was captured on the Capitals’ broadcast.
“He wants to break the record with a goaltender in the crease, which I appreciate,” Carbery said, via ESPN. “He told me that on the bench, and I just wanted to confirm that he didn’t want to go out. And it’s hard for us as coaches because I just wanted to make sure in that moment: hat track, at home. And he didn’t want to go out and score on an empty net to break the record. We have six games left, and he wants to break the record and have that moment where he’s shooting the puck past a goalie.”
Several of Ovechkin’s teammates also said he rejected the opportunity for an open-net goal, which the 39-year-old later confirmed himself.
“I tell Carbs right away, ‘I don’t want to do it.’ Stromer [Dylan Strome] ask me, Carly [John Carlson] ask me, everybody ask me, ‘Do you want it? Do you want it?’” Ovechkin said. “I said, ‘let’s wait.’”
With Gretzky seated beside him, the legend quipped: “I’ll take all the empty nets I can get.”
Ovechkin clearly has too much respect for Gretzky, the record, and the sport to secure an easy goal in that moment. And whether you love him or hate him, that decision warrants praise and a tip of the cap.
The Capitals have six games remaining this season, so Ovechkin will have his opportunities to do it with a goalie in net.
