NHL: Alexander Ovechkin is eight goals shy of tying Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record as the Washington Capitals face the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center

Alex Ovechkin has inched within single digits of overtaking Wayne Gretzky as the NHL’s all-time goals leader after scoring an empty-net goal in the Washington Capitals’ 4-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Sunday.

Alex Ovechkin scored his 886th career goal into an empty net to move nine back of breaking Wayne Gretzky's NHL record.

Alex Ovechkin is an exceptional goal-scorer. He is chasing Wayne Gretzky’s great record, and he doesn’t have many goals left to achieve it. The Capitals’ captain has 886 goals (!) on the counter and he only has nine left to score before breaking the record.

Alex Ovechkin, the Washington Capitals, Hockey Fights Cancer and the V Foundation launched an initiative to raise awareness and money for pediatric cancer research in connection with his pursuit of the NHL career goal-scoring record.