Before the match, Ovetjkin was celebrated with a ceremony after recently breaking Wayne Gretzky's "impossible" goal record in the NHL with his 895th full hit.
The goal came in the away game against New York Islanders on Sunday, but it was only now that the fans in the capital's Capital One Arena got the opportunity to celebrate their goal king.
I think it's important to celebrate this milestone together with our fans, says Washington's coach Spencer Carbery to nhl.com.
The Russian received the accolades on the ice together with his wife Anastasia, the couple's two sons, as well as his mother and father-in-law.
In addition to the usual flower bouquets, Ovetjkin received, among other things, a gold-colored hockey stick with the record engraved – the sons each got a mini version of the gold stick – from Washington's general manager Brian MacLellan.
It feels fantastic, says Ovetjkin and continues, regarding the record:
It's a pretty incredible number. And to see all those who came here to celebrate this with us, it's quite big.
The match then? Washington won 5–4 after penalties. There was no new goal for Ovetjkin, but an assist. With the win, Washington secured first place in the eastern conference.
