Following the Pittsburgh Penguins' 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Thursday night, Ovechkin was gifted a Rolex watch by Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Ovechkin did score in the loss, giving him 897 for his career and 44 this season. He surpassed Wayne Gretzky's mark of 894 goals on April 6.

It was an odd sight at PPG Paints Arena on Thursday, as, instead of the usual boos that fill the arena when Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals face the Pittsburgh Penguins, there was applause and praise for the Capitals captain,

Both Penguins, still wearing their game jerseys in the tunnel after the game, met a fully-suited-up Ovechkin in a postgame moment to present him with the watch. “From us to congratulate you for the record,” Malkin said in Russian as the two Penguins forwards handed the box to Ovechkin.