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Ovechkin is feeling better every game as he moves closer to breaking Gretzky's NHL goals record

Sport

Ovechkin is feeling better every game as he moves closer to breaking Gretzky's NHL goals record
Sport

Sport

Ovechkin is feeling better every game as he moves closer to breaking Gretzky's NHL goals record

2025-01-05 19:00 Last Updated At:19:10

WASHINGTON (AP) — 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. “I don’t see him slowing down.”

Nope, not slowing down.

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. He has four in five games since returning from missing the previous 16 with a broken leg.

“It’s incredible,” teammate Connor McMichael said. “Ever since I was a kid, I grew up watching him do all these amazing things, and now to have a front-row seat to him doing something really special has been awesome. He’s been helping our team win night in and night out, so I can’t say enough good things about him.”

Ovechkin is one away from reaching 20 goals in all 20 of his seasons in the league. The broken left fibula paused the Gretzky chase, but the 39-year-old has returned with a vengeance.

“To be honest with you, I feel every game better — touches, skating wise," Ovechkin said. “I’ll take it.”

Center Dylan Strome, who has assisted on 14 of Ovechkin's 19 goals, said, “It just feels like he gets on these runs.” Because of these runs, Ovechkin remains on pace to pass Gretzky this spring.

“Obviously, he’s an all-time great,” Capitals winger Andrew Mangiapane said. “Just seeing his every day kind of lifestyle and seeing him on the ice and every time he scores, it’s a great kind of feeling and I think it pumps up everyone on our bench.”

Laviolette, who coached Washington from 2021-23, praised Ovechkin's shot as being the best in the world but pointed more to his work ethic than anything else to explain how the scoring has continued.

“He’s a guy that just doesn’t stop,” Laviolette said. “He wants to get better. He’s going to play hurt. He’s going to play injured. He’s going to get out there (and) he’s going to try and make a difference for his team.”

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) competes for the puck with New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) competes for the puck with New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin, left, scores a goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin, left, scores a goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin, center, celebrates his goal with his teammates during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin, center, celebrates his goal with his teammates during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Washington Capitals center Dylan Strome (17) celebrates with left wing Alex Ovechkin after scoring a goal in the third period goal of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Washington Capitals center Dylan Strome (17) celebrates with left wing Alex Ovechkin after scoring a goal in the third period goal of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Liverpool manager Arne Slot was happy to see England’s referees’ body acknowledge it was wrong to not award Everton defender James Tarkowski a red card for a dangerous tackle on Alexis Mac Allister in the Merseyside derby.

Tarkowski was shown a yellow card for the foul that came early in Wednesday’s game at Anfield and was later described by the Premier League as reckless. The on-field sanction was upheld by the video assistant referee after a review.

The center back made contact with the ball but caught Mac Allister high on the back of the calf with his follow-through.

British media have reported that the PGMOL, the referees’ governing body, acknowledges Tarkowski’s yellow card should have been upgraded to red as the follow-through met the threshold for serious foul play.

“It's good that they acknowledged the mistake,” Slot said on Thursday in a news conference, “but I think that it was so clear. So many pundits who are not Liverpool fans, all of them are clear about it as well.”

After treatment, Mac Allister was able to play on and Liverpool won 1-0 to reclaim a 12-point lead in the league with eight games left.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Referee Samuel Barrott gives a yellow card to Everton's James Tarkowski for a foul on Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield in Liverpool, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)

Referee Samuel Barrott gives a yellow card to Everton's James Tarkowski for a foul on Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield in Liverpool, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)

Everton's James Tarkowski, left, fouls Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield in Liverpool, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)

Everton's James Tarkowski, left, fouls Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield in Liverpool, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)

Everton's James Tarkowski, left, fouls Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield in Liverpool, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)

Everton's James Tarkowski, left, fouls Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield in Liverpool, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)

Everton's James Tarkowski takes off his shirt to give to supporters after the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield in Liverpool, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)

Everton's James Tarkowski takes off his shirt to give to supporters after the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield in Liverpool, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)

Everton's James Tarkowski, left, right Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Liverpool, England. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)

Everton's James Tarkowski, left, right Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Liverpool, England. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)

Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister reacts after being fouled by Everton's James Tarkowski during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield in Liverpool, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)

Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister reacts after being fouled by Everton's James Tarkowski during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield in Liverpool, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)

Everton's James Tarkowski, left, fouls Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield in Liverpool, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)

Everton's James Tarkowski, left, fouls Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield in Liverpool, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)

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