Ovechkin Climbs Closer to Gretzky with Hat Trick as Capitals Top Golden Knights

Historic Night in the NHL

Alex Ovechkin made NHL history once again on Thursday night, scoring his 800th career goal in a 4-3 overtime win against the Vegas Golden Knights. The goal was Ovechkin's third of the night, giving him a hat trick and moving him closer to Wayne Gretzky's all-time NHL scoring record of 894 goals.

Ovechkin's hat trick was his 28th of his career, tying him with Mario Lemieux for second all-time in NHL history. Ovechkin now has 801 career goals, just 93 behind Gretzky's record.

Capitals Win in Overtime

The Capitals won the game in overtime on a goal by Lars Eller. The win was the Capitals' second in a row and improved their record to 9-4-2 on the season.

The Golden Knights lost their second straight game and fell to 6-6-1 on the season.

Ovechkin's Historic Season

Ovechkin's hat trick was his seventh of the season, which leads the NHL. He also has 15 goals on the season, which is second in the NHL behind Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid.

Ovechkin is on pace to score 60 goals this season, which would be his ninth 50-goal season of his career. He would become the first player in NHL history to score 50 goals in nine different seasons.

Gretzky's Record in Sight

Ovechkin's hat trick moved him closer to Gretzky's all-time NHL scoring record. Ovechkin now needs just 93 goals to tie Gretzky's record, and he is on pace to break the record next season.

If Ovechkin breaks Gretzky's record, it will be one of the greatest accomplishments in NHL history. Gretzky's record has stood for over 30 years, and it is considered to be one of the most unbreakable records in all of sports.