Alex Ovechkin became the greatest goal scorer in NHL history because of a never-before-seen combination of a wicked shot, consistency over two decades and remarkable durability that kept him on the ice long enough to break Wayne Gretzky's record.
Ovechkin scored his 895th career goal Sunday against the New York Islanders, passing Gretzky with a flair for the dramatic that has marked the Russian superstar's career, now in its 20th NHL season.
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Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin warms-up before an NHL hockey game against New York Islanders in Elmont, N.Y., Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) waving to the crowd at the end of an NHL hockey game against the Chicago Blackhawks, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin poses in the in the locker room with his 894th NHL career goal puck in an NHL hockey game against the Chicago Blackhawks, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin warms-up before an NHL hockey game against New York Islanders in Elmont, N.Y., Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin kneels on the ice during the warm-up before an NHL hockey game against New York Islanders in Elmont, N.Y., Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates after scoring his 895th career goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against New York Islanders in Elmont, N.Y., Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
How did Ovechkin rewrite a record many thought would never be broken when Gretzky retired?
Gretzky was a dazzler, an artist on skates who would fool defensemen and goaltenders alike with his moves, not to mention a surprising and baffling shot. His scoring came no matter the situation, including a record 73 short-handed, while Ovechkin had just five that way.
While Gretzky might be described as mesmerizing, Ovechkin brought sheer power and strength. His shot — described as peculiarly “heavy” by the goalies and defenseman tasked with stopping it — was laser-like. Adding Ilya Sorokin on the record-breaker, Ovechkin has beaten a record 183 netminders on this journey, including 28 times on Marc-Andre Fleury.
“I don’t like getting scored on by him, but I love the battle over the years," Fleury once said. “I feel fortunate I was able to play in this time. He probably owes me a few things for scoring so many goals on me. I helped it out pretty good. I’m glad I got to face him.”
Gretzky's favorite way of scoring was off the rush or deking a goalie out of his pads. His “office” was behind the net where he could start a play that wound up with him lighting the lamp but more often led to one of his astounding 1,963 assists, a league record that will never be touched.
Not Ovechkin. So many of his NHL-record 325 power-play goals have come from his spot in the left faceoff circle. The puck getting to Ovechkin and him blasting his right-handed rocket of a one-timer into the net is what he is most known for.
At the age of 39, Ovechkin reached 40 goals in a season for a 14th time — the most in league history — by adapting and adding more variety of scoring to his repertoire.
Just that he is still excelling in his late 30s is a testament to Ovechkin playing through pain that would sideline others and managing to avoid some of the long-term injuries that would have slowed this pursuit. And he got the record this season even after missing 16 games with a broken left fibula.
His offseason workouts changed as he got older, from weight-training to off-ice sprinting, though his teammates note he still seems to eat what he wants, when he wants.
“Obviously impressive that he hasn’t missed a lot of hockey games, which is incredible,” said Nicklas Backstrom, who assisted on nearly 300 of Ovechkin's goals. “If you ask players around the league, I don’t think one player will say you play with not feeling anything for 80 games, at least. That’s just part of hockey culture, I think, and obviously he’s done it better than others.”
Even so, few thought any player would get close to Gretzky, who has been the record-holder for the most goals since passing Gordie Howe with his 802nd goal on March 23, 1994. Gretzky has 54 other records, including 2,857 total points.
Ovechkin won't touch that one — but he does have another year on his Capitals contract, so he will have plenty of chances to add to his scoring record.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin warms-up before an NHL hockey game against New York Islanders in Elmont, N.Y., Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) waving to the crowd at the end of an NHL hockey game against the Chicago Blackhawks, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin poses in the in the locker room with his 894th NHL career goal puck in an NHL hockey game against the Chicago Blackhawks, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin warms-up before an NHL hockey game against New York Islanders in Elmont, N.Y., Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin kneels on the ice during the warm-up before an NHL hockey game against New York Islanders in Elmont, N.Y., Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates after scoring his 895th career goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against New York Islanders in Elmont, N.Y., Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza (AP) — Israel struck a hospital in northern Gaza early Sunday, forcing patients to evacuate as attacks intensified.
The pre-dawn strike hit Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, after Israel issued an evacuation warning, according to Gaza's ministry of health. One patient, a girl, died during the evacuation because medical staff were unable to provide urgent care, it said.
The hospital is run by the Diocese of Jerusalem, which condemned the attack in a statement, saying it happened on “Palm Sunday, the start of the Holy Week, the most sacred week of the Christian year.” Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem.
Israel said it struck a command and control center used by Hamas at the hospital to plan and execute attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers, without providing evidence. It said prior to the strike, steps were taken to mitigate harm, including issuing warnings, and using precise munitions and aerial surveillance.
In a statement Sunday, Hamas denied the allegations that the hospital was used by militants and called for an independent international investigation.
Hours later, a separate strike on a car in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, killed at least seven people — six brothers and their friend — according to staff at the morgue of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, which received the bodies. The brothers, of whom the youngest was 10, were buried in Deir al-Balah.
Their father, Ibrahim Abu Mahadi, said his sons worked for a charity that distributes food to Palestinians in Gaza. "For what sin were they killed?” he said.
Associated Press reporters saw the mangled, bloodied car after the attack as relatives wept over the bodies.
Other strikes in the southern city of Khan Younis killed at least three people, according to staff at Nasser Hospital, which received the bodies.
The Israeli military also said they targeted another command and control center in the area of Deir al-Balah when many Hamas militants were present and planning to carry out an attack against Israeli soldiers. This was not connected to the strike on the car in the same area, which the army said it was looking into.
In the last 24 hours, Gaza’s health ministry said that 11 people were killed and more than 100 wounded.
The war started after Hamas killed 1,200 people during its Oct. 7, 2023, attack, mostly civilians, and took 250 people captive, many of whom were eventually freed in ceasefire deals.
More than 50,000 Palestinians in Gaza have so far been killed in Israel’s retaliatory offensive, according to the health ministry there, which does not differentiate between combatants and civilians in its count but says more than half of the dead are women and children.
The strikes came hours after Israel's defense minister said that military activity would rapidly expand across Gaza and that people would have to evacuate from “fighting zones.” Israel also announced Saturday the completion of the Morag corridor, cutting off the southern city of Rafah from the rest of Gaza, with the military saying it would soon expand “vigorously” in most of the small coastal territory.
Israeli authorities have vowed to pressure Hamas to release the remaining 59 hostages, 24 believed to be alive, and accept proposed new ceasefire terms.
The director of Al-Ahli Hospital, Dr. Fadel Naim, said they were warned of the attack before it was struck. In a post on X, he wrote that the emergency room, pharmacy and surrounding buildings were severely damaged, impacting more than 100 patients and dozens of medical staff.
The health ministry said the strike destroyed the ward for outpatients and laboratories and damaged the emergency ward.
Images of the aftermath showed the hospital's caved-in cement roof, surrounded by debris. Dr. Munir al-Boursh, the health ministry's director general called the evacuation frightening, with people carried out into the streets in hospital beds.
“It was very scary for the patients ... we did not know what happened,” he said. The health ministry said patients have since been transferred to three other hospitals in Gaza City, including Shifa, Al-Quds and the Red Crescent Field Hospital.
The aid group Medical Aid for Palestinians said this was the fifth attack on the hospital since the war began.
Medical facilities often come under fire in wars, but combatants usually depict such incidents as accidental or exceptional, since hospitals enjoy special protection under international law. In its 18-month campaign in Gaza, Israel has stood out by carrying out an open campaign on hospitals, besieging and raiding them, some several times, as well as hitting multiple others in strikes while accusing Hamas of using them as cover for its fighters.
Last month Israel struck Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis city, the largest in southern Gaza, killing two people and wounding others and causing a large fire, the territory’s health ministry said. The facility was overwhelmed with dead and wounded when Israel ended the ceasefire with a surprise wave of airstrikes.
Magdy reported from Cairo.
This report has been corrected to show the bodies of the killed Palestinians were to Red Crescent Field Hospital, not the Kuwait Field Hospital.
A relative mourn over the body of Abdullah Habbash before his funeral, along with six brothers from the Abu Mahadi family, all members of a Palestinian charity organization linked to Hamas, who were killed earlier in an Israeli army strike on the car they were traveling in, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)"
Relatives mourn over the body of Abdullah Habbash before his funeral, along with the bodies of six brothers from the Abu Mahadi family, all members of a Palestinian charity organization linked to Hamas, who were killed earlier in an Israeli army strike on the car they were traveling in, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)"
Relatives mourn over the body of Abdullah Habbash before his funeral, along with the bodies of six brothers from the Abu Mahadi family, all members of a Palestinian charity organization linked to Hamas, who were killed earlier in an Israeli army strike on the car they were traveling in, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)"
Palestinians look at the wreckage of a car struck earlier by an Israeli army attack that killed at least seven people, six of them the Abu Mahadi brothers, in the outskirts of Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Palestinians look at the wreckage of a car struck earlier by an Israeli army attack that killed at least seven people, six of them the Abu Mahadi brothers, in the outskirts of Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
The wreckage of a car struck earlier by an Israeli army attack that killed at least seven people, six of them the Abu Mahadi brothers, sits on the outskirts of Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Relatives mourn over the bodies of Abdullah Habbash, along with the bodies of six brothers from the Abu Mahadi family, all members of a Palestinian charity organization linked to Hamas, who were killed earlier in an Israeli army strike on the car they were traveling in, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)"
Palestinians pray over the bodie of Abdullah Habbash, along with the bodies of six brothers from the Abu Mahadi family, all members of a Palestinian charity organization linked to Hamas, who were killed earlier in an Israeli army strike on the car they were traveling in, during their funeral in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)"
Staff inspects a building of the Al-Ahli Arab Baptist hospital after it was targeted by an Israeli army strike late Saturday following a warning issued by the army to evacuate patients, in Gaza City, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
The outpatient and laboratory wards of the Al-Ahli Arab Baptist hospital are seen after being hit by an Israeli army strike late Saturday, following a warning issued by the army to evacuate patients, in Gaza City, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
The outpatient and laboratory wards of the Al-Ahli Arab Baptist hospital are seen after being hit by an Israeli army strike late Saturday, following a warning issued by the army to evacuate patients, in Gaza City, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
Palestinians carry for burial the bodies of Abdullah Habbash and six brothers from the Abu Mahadi family, members of a Palestinian charity organization linked to Hamas, who were killed earlier in an Israeli army strike on the car they were traveling in, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
The outpatient and laboratory wards of the Al-Ahli Arab Baptist hospital are seen after being hit by an Israeli army strike late Saturday, following a warning issued by the army to evacuate patients, in Gaza City, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
The outpatient and laboratory wards of the Al-Ahli Arab Baptist hospital are seen after being hit by an Israeli army strike late Saturday, following a warning issued by the army to evacuate patients, in Gaza City, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
A relative mourn over the body of Abdullah Habbash before his funeral, along with six brothers from the Abu Mahadi family, all members of a Palestinian charity organization linked to Hamas, who were killed earlier in an Israeli army strike on the car they were traveling in, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)"
The outpatient and laboratory wards of the Al-Ahli Arab Baptist hospital are seen after being hit by an Israeli army strike late Saturday, following a warning issued by the army to evacuate patients, in Gaza City, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
Khalid Ahmad holds a poster of his 17-year-old son, Waleed, who died in an Israeli prison, that reads in Arabic, "The hero prisoner Martyr, mercy and eternity for our righteous Martyrs," in the West Bank town of Silwad, northeast of Ramallah Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)
A woman holds a sign as people take part in a protest demanding the immediate release of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Saturday, April 5,2025. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
Palestinians wait for donated food at a distribution center in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, Friday, April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Palestinian children receive donated food at a distribution center in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, Friday, April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Displaced Palestinians flee from east to west of Gaza City after the Israeli military issued evacuation orders in the area, Friday April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
Displaced Palestinians flee from east to west of Gaza City after the Israeli military issued evacuation orders in the area, Friday April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
Two boys sit on a mattress as they ride on their family car while s fleeing from east to west of Gaza City after the Israeli military issued evacuation orders in the area, Friday April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
