Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals is closing in on the NHL goals record of 894 held by Wayne Gretzky. Ovechkin has 877 goals and needs 18 to break the record. Ovechkin entered the season 42

Ovechkin entered this season needing 42 goals to break Gretzky's record of 894 career goals, which has stood since 1999. The Washington captain has 23 goals this season, with 31 games left. This season, he moved into second place with 20 consecutive 20-goal seasons and set a record for the number of goalies he has scored against in his career.

We're tracking Ovechkin's pursuit of Gretzky's goal record and trying to determine the game in which he's most likely to break the record.

Alex Ovechkin moved within 19 goals of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record, scoring on a late power play in the Washington Capitals’ 5-4 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night

Moscow, a cold December evening, the wind slicing through the Red Square like a sharpened blade. Inside the Kremlin, a file is slid across a dark mahogany desk.

As Alex Ovechkin chases down Wayne Gretzky's all-time NHL goals record, the Edmonton Oilers made quite a gesture toward the Washington Capitals captain.

In the third period of a Thursday night battle between the Washington Capitals and the Ottawa Senators, future NHL Hall of Famer inched closer to Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal record. “Alex Ovechkin scored on the PP and is now 19 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record,