Alex Ovechkin scored his 890th career goal to reduce 5 goals from Gretzky's NHL record

Washington (AP) – For Alex Ovechkin it was not a sweet moment to score the 890th goal of his career. In fact, after an 8: 5 loss through the Buffalo Sabres, the 39-year-old played five goals from Wayne Gretzky's NHL record.

“At the moment we have lost three times in a row,” said Ovechkin. “It is good that it happens now and not in the playoffs, but we just have to bounce back and find a way to win the games.”

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Ovechkin scored the third period at 9:11 a.m. and steered Rasmus Sandin's shot past James Reimer to pull Washington within two.

Although the capitals were able to bring to his goal within one one games, the 39-year-old said that at the beginning of the time that the rally triggered, it was Aliaksei Protas' Shorthanded Tally.

“If you score on the PK, you have more (live) and you can see how our bank comes after the game,” said Ovechkin. “We tried to come back, but unfortunately we can't.”

He is now back to speed to hand over Gretzky's brand from 894, which seemed unapproachable for a long time this spring. He has 37 this season and is on the right track to reach the 14th time 40, the most in the history of the league, even though he missed 16 games because of a broken left fibula.

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“Again it is a crazy number,” said Protas. “I don't think I would ever get it, even in NHL 25 (the video game) … He chases something special.”

Before Ovechkin had completed a three-point evening in the third period, he had limited his ice age in the middle of numerous defensive zone, penalty murder and an unsatisfactory effort from the top six. He only ran 7:43 minutes through the first two periods, the lowest in the team, and ended the night with 16:22 minutes while moving to the line of Pierre-Luc Dubois.

“We fought to stay in this game, I didn't like any of our top six tonight,” said coach Spencer Carbery and added: “It just didn't look great. Their underlying numbers were not great in the last two games from our top six.”

Ovechkin will continue his pursuit of Gretzky on Tuesday when the capitals go north to visit the Boston Bruins.

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