Alex Ovechkin Reflects On Tying Wayne Gretzky As NHL's All-Time Leading Goal Scorer: 'I Still Can't Believe It'

WASHINGTON — Alex Ovechkin is trying to stay calm.

The Washington Capitals captain casually picks up a Bug Light and takes a swig following the team's 5-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, where he struck twice to tie Wayne Gretzky as the NHl's all-time leading goal scorer.

However, a rare occurrence takes place: the nerves come out for Ovechkin, who usually remains composed, and he's shaking as he speaks postgame.

"I still can't believe it," Ovechkin said, sitting next to Wayne Gretzky for the postgame press conference of his career. "It's nice that my family here, my mom, my wife, my kids, father-in-law, lots of friends came from lots of different cities. It's history. It's great for the game. it's great to do it here. It's special."

The 39-year-old's 894th career tally came in classic Ovi fashion, a one-timer from the left circle on the power play. As he watched the puck beat Spencer Knight, he raised his arms to the heavens before being embraced by his teammates, who cleared the bench to relish the moment with him.

No more outside noise. No more pressure. No more critics asking, "will he ever match Gretzky?"

He no longer sits a certain amount of goals away from greatness; now, he shares the mountaintop with The Great One, who he bowed to from the ice.

"It was just shivers," Tom Wilson recalled. "It was just something that everyone dreams of being a part of, and to have a front-row seat and see him, I'm just so proud of him and so happy for him."

"He's been nothing but a champion and I'm so proud that we're tied," Gretzky said.

For Ovechkin, watching that puck cross the line was a moment where he could finally exhale.

"It is a relief, obviously. I just talked to my family yesterday and my father-in-law ask, 'How do you keep your energy, your mind (clear)?' And I just said like, 'I just enjoy it' because it's a huge opportunity. It's history. It's lots of attentions. Friends love it, you guys love it and it's great for the city and it's great for hockey... It's great. I'm very happy to be in this spot. I'm always gonna be grateful for it and thanks to Wayne, how he support me, how he always give me advice to be patient, don't put yourself in a stress position. I'm happy right now. I don't know what my feelings gonna be tomorrow, but right now I'm happy.

"Obviously my wife here, my mom, my father-in-law, kids and for the future, my kids are gonna remember this — and it's gonna be on TV. It's not going nowhere, so I'm very happy we did it in Washington in front of home fans and we're just gonna continue."

With his next goal, Ovechkin will set a new record for the most goals in NHL history with 895. All he knows is that he doesn't want that goal to come on an empty net; he wants to do it the way he thinks is right.

But at the end of the day, he's taking things the same way he always has: in stride.

"How I say, it's game by game, it's shift by shift. You never know what's gonna happen," Ovechkin said. "We just gonna continue to enjoy it and continue to do our best because we still have six games left before playoffs and our mind right now is get ready for the playoffs and play the right way in the playoffs."