Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin needs three goals to break Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal record.
How has he gotten so close? The answer isn’t a big disparity in empty-net goals.
Ovechkin has eight empty-netters this season and an NHL-record 65 in his career, but he’s not too far ahead of Gretzky in that category. The Great One had 56 in his career and is No. 2 all-time after Ovechkin passed him last season.
Coach Spencer Carbery has deployed Ovechkin when the other team pulls its goalie for an extra skater, even though the winger doesn’t play when the Capitals are a man short while killing penalties. He noted that many teams use high-skilled offensive players in 5-on-6 situations.
‘They know where the next play is and where the puck is going, and that’s what you see from (Ovechkin) constantly,’ Carbery told reporters earlier this season. ‘He’s reading where the next puck is going.’
Ovechkin has a big lead on Gretzky in overtime and power-play goals while Gretzky leads in short-handed and even-strength goals.
Comparing Ovechkin and Gretzky on types of goals:
Alex Ovechkin empty-net goals
Ovechkin has 65 career empty-net goals, making up 7.3% of his 892 career goals.
Former Capitals coach Peter Laviolette also used him in empty-net situations and he scored nine empty-netters in 2021-22 during a 50-goal season. He had three the following season and six last season.
This season, Ovechkin had two empty-netters before he broke his leg in November and scored an empty-netter in his Dec. 28 return. He has five empty-netters since Jan. 11. But he fired the puck past a goaltender 15 times during that stretch, too, including by stars Connor Hellebuyck (twice), Andrei Vasilevskiy and Igor Shesterkin.
Ovechkin completed a hat trick on Feb. 23 with an empty-netter after Edmonton unexpectedly pulled its goalie and an Oilers defenseman’s stick broke on a shot attempt.
On March 11 against the Anaheim Ducks, Ovechkin passed the puck to Aliaksei Protas in an empty-net situation to allow his teammate to complete a hat trick.
His key career empty-netters were goals No. 400 and No. 802, which moved him past Gordie Howe into second place.
Wayne Gretzky empty-net goals
Gretzky has 56 career empty-net goals, making up 6.3% of his 894 career goals.
One of Gretzky’s most famous goals was into an empty net. He did so as part of a five-goal game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Dec. 30, 1981, when he set an NHL record reaching 50 goals in just 39 games.
Gretzky had four empty-netters during that 92-goal season. The most he had was six in a season, accomplished three times.
Ovechkin vs. Gretzky overtime goals
Ovechkin holds the record with 27 overtime goals in the regular season. Gretzky had only two, even though overtime was instituted in 1983-84 during his fifth season in the league. OT play was 5-on-5 and didn’t change to 4-on-4 until 1999-2000, the season after Gretzky retired. Ovechkin has either played 4-on-4 or 3-on-3 overtime.
Ovechkin vs. Gretzky power-play goals
Ovechkin holds the record with 323 power-play goals. Gretzky had 204, which is 18th all-time.
The difference is the Capitals’ power play centers on getting Ovechkin the puck for a one-timer. He was stationed at the point early in his career, then later moved his office to the left faceoff circle.
Gretzky’s office was behind the net, so he was more of a playmaker on the power play. He has an NHL-record 686 assists with the man advantage. Ovechkin has 276.
Ovechkin vs. Gretzky short-handed goals
Gretzky leads 73-5 for one simple reason: Ovechkin doesn’t kill penalties. He had three short-handed goals as a rookie and only two since. He has played 80 seconds of short-handed time this season.
Ovechkin vs. Gretzky even-strength goals
Gretzky has a record 617 and Ovechkin is third with 564. He’s close to No. 2 Howe (566).
Ovechkin vs. Gretzky games
Gretzky played 20 seasons and Ovechkin is in his 20th season. Ovechkin has played two fewer games. He has been mostly healthy, outside of the 16 games he missed this season. But Ovechkin’s entry in the league was delayed by a season-long lockout in 2004-05. He also went through a shorter lockout, plus two COVID-shortened seasons.
Gretzky was limited to 45 games by injury in 1992-93 and to 48 games in 1994-95 by a lockout.