Sidney Crosby Congratulates Alex Ovechkin After Breaking Wayne Gretzky's NHL Record

Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby congratulated Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin for becoming the NHL's leader in career goals scored on Sunday.

"Ovi, it's been an honor to compete against you all these years," Crosby said. "Over that time, you've accomplished so many milestones. But this one was probably thought to be impossible, and you found a way to do it. Congratulations on scoring the most goals in NHL history."

Ovechkin surpassed NHL legend Wayne Gretzky with his 895th career goal in the second period of the Capitals' clash with the New York Islanders.

Crosby sits at No. 18 on the all-time list, while his 622 career goals are also the second-most among active players.

Both Ovechkin and Crosby made their NHL debuts during the 2005-06 season and have spent their entire careers with their respective teams, operating as Eastern Conference rivals.

Ovechkin reflected on his history with Crosby in Nov. 2024.

"It's pretty amazing how much time flies," Ovechkin told Tom Gulitti of NHL.com. "I think it's just cool stuff when my first couple years there was a rivalry like Ovechkin-Crosby and everybody was pumped about it -- the fans, you guys (the media). It would give you more motivation, more energy when you step on the ice."

The 39-year-old hasn't shown many signs of slowing down during his 2024-25 campaign with Washington, as his 41 goals scored entering Sunday's action ranked No. 3 in the NHL.

Crosby has also remained a key contributor for the Penguins in his 20th year with the team, recording 56 assists and 86 points in 75 games. He's recorded a point in each of his past 12 appearances.

As both veterans look to close out the 2024-25 season strong, Crosby praised Ovechkin for his historic achievement on Sunday.