Now, at age 39, Ovechkin is on the verge of becoming the NHL's all-time goals leader, and he can pass Gretzky's mark of 894 before the end of season. The Capitals standout currently has 891 career goals after he scored his 38th of the season Tuesday when he tapped home a beautiful Dylan Strome pass on a first-period power play against the Bruins.

Ovechkin has scored his 891 goals in 1,484 games during 20 NHL seasons with Washington, which selected him with the No. 1 pick in the 2004 NHL Draft. Gretzky scored his 894 goals in 1,487 games during 20 NHL seasons with the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers before retiring after the 1998-99 season.

The Washington Capitals superstar continues to close in on Gretzky’s longstanding record of 894 career NHL goals.

Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin is on the doorstep of an NHL record that many thought was unbreakable. The 39-year-old Ovechkin is closing in on Wayne Gretzky's all-time NHL goals record of 894.

The Capitals (47-17-9, 103 points) have lost three straight (0-2-1) after an 8-5 Sunday Buffalo Sabres, which marked the first game all season in which they allowed more than five goals. Still, Ovechkin had a three-point game which included scoring his 890th career goal,

Alex Ovechkin is five goals away from become hockey's all-time leading scorer. He tallied his 890th career goal in Sunday's 8-5 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday. Along with Ovechkin's 37th on the season,