Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin has now moved within 23 goals of catching Wayne Gretzky for most goals in NHL history.

Washington blows a pair of leads in a 4-3 loss even as Alex Ovechkin pulls within 24 goals of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s hallowed goals record. The Minnesota Wild has had the Washington Capitals’ number over the past three seasons, and that run continued Thursday night at Capital One Arena — with this latest chapter ending in a shootout.

Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals is closing in on the NHL career goals record of 894 held by Wayne Gretzky. Ovechkin has 870 goals and needs 25 to set a new record.

At this point, the record falling looks imminent. But when? Now that's an interesting and possibly infuriating question.

Alex Ovechkin scored the fifth goal in a 7-4 win to get No. 872 and move 23 back of breaking Gretzky’s record of 894 that long seemed unapproachable.

Ovechkin scored what turned out to be the winner to help the Capitals beat the New York Rangers 7-4 on Saturday. It was his 133rd game-winning goal.

Coaching Alex Ovechkin for three seasons has normalized his hot pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goals record for Peter Laviolette. “Not a crazy thing at all,” Laviolette said before his New York Rangers faced Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals on Saturday.