Ovechkin scored in the Washington Capitals’ home game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night, beating Samuel Ersson with 5:35 left in the first period. The goal counter in the corner of the arena flipped to 888, and fans chanted “Ovi! Ovi!”

Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin’s "The Gr8 Chase" of hockey’s most sacred individual record took another leap forward Thursday night. With a tap-in goal against Philadelphia’s Samuel Ersson, the Washington Capitals captain registered the 888th goal of his NHL career —moving him within seven of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record of 894.