Ovechkin scores No. 767 to pass Jagr for third in all-time NHL goals

WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex Ovechkin has scored his 767th NHL goal, passing Jaromir Jagr for third on the career list.

Ovechkin beat fellow Russian Semyon Varlamov for the goal with 4:58 left in the third period of the Washington Capitals’ game against the New York Islanders on Tuesday night. It also broke the tie with Jagr for the most goals scored by a European player in league history.

Ovechkin's goal put the Capitals up 3-2 and set off a raucous celebration by his teammates, who surrounded him on the ice while the crowd erupted in applause. Chants of “Ovi! Ovi!" followed, accompanied by a standing ovation.

Only Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe have scored more NHL goals. Ovechkin needs 35 goals to pass Howe and 128 to break Gretzky’s record that was long thought to be unapproachable in modern hockey.

Islanders forward Mat Barzal isn’t keeping track of Ovechkin’s exact numbers, but he need not look far to see the bright red goal counter in the corner at Capital One Arena.

“That is crazy,” Barzal said of Ovechkin trailing only Gretzky and Howe. “I don’t know the exact number but over 700 goals in this league. He’s a top-five, top-10 player of all time. Pretty cool every time you get a chance to go against him and see him close up.”

Ovechkin scored in the shadow of the Capitals’ 2018 Stanley Cup banner with Barry Trotz standing on the visiting bench. Trotz coached Washington to their first title in franchise history, and Ovechkin was playoff MVP.

“Every time we seem to come and play the Caps, Ovi’s up for another milestone, which is fantastic,” said Trotz, who coached Ovechkin for four seasons from 2014-2018. “The one thing that I’ve learned about Ovi over my time is that when you doubt Ovi or you say he can’t do it, he digs