The Washington Capitals secured a 5–3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks in a match that saw a historic performance from NHL icon Alex Ovechkin. While much of the spotlight remains on Ovechkin’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal record, the Capitals’ talisman reached another monumental milestone.

During the win, Ovechkin equalled Gretzky for the most goals in NHL history, drawing widespread attention across social media. However, the National Hockey League later confirmed a separate record that now belongs solely to Ovechkin: the most game-winning goals in NHL history.

The Russian forward netted his 136th game-winning goal, officially surpassing Jaromír Jágr, and now holds the outright record for the most decisive goals in league history. Celebrating the achievement, the NHL’s official social media account posted, “DELIVERING WHEN IT MATTERS MOST.”

The Capitals' official account also paid tribute to Ovechkin’s clutch performance against the Blackhawks, writing, “Smh, game-winning goal merchant.”

Ovechkin finished the night with two goals and three shots on target, with the historic equaliser to Gretzky’s tally coming with 13:47 left in regulation during a power play.

Though Ovechkin’s primary focus remains on surpassing Gretzky’s all-time goal total, this newly attained record further cements his legacy as one of the sport’s greatest-ever players.

In breaking the record, Ovechkin eclipsed the mark set by NHL legend Jaromír Jágr, who played in the league from 1990 to 2018. Jágr concluded his illustrious career with 766 goals, 1,155 assists, and a staggering 1,921 points.