Most opposing NHL players would prefer not being scored on by Alex Ovechkin, especially when he makes history. Going into the Washington Capitals\u2019 April 4th tilt against the Chicago Blackhawks, with Ovechkin just two goals short of tying Wayne Gretzky\u2019s record, Pat Maroon was committed to playing spoiler on the Russian star\u2019s potential big night.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe got a lot of young guys in here that get to play in front of Wayne Gretzky, arguably the best player in the world. And a lot of people with stardom are going to be here to try to witness something special. Our job is to ruin it for them,\u201d Maroon said ahead of the game.<\/a><\/p>\n Instead, Maroon failed to defend against goal no. 893<\/a> and witnessed no. 894 from the bench at Capital One Arena. He spoke about that experience on NHL Network.<\/p>\n \u201cI was on the ice for (goal 893). It was a moment that I\u2019ll remember for the rest of my life. There I am in the slot, there\u2019s the puck going bar down,\u201d Maroon said on NHL Tonight<\/a>, Wednesday. \u201cIt\u2019s history. I told myself before the game, \u2018Please, just don\u2019t be out there for the [record]-tying goal.’\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Ovechkin tied Gretzky in the third period, a power-play goal to give the Capitals a 4-3 lead with 13:47 remaining, but fortunately for Maroon he was not on the ice when the puck hit the net<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Maroon, who won back-to-back-to-back Stanley Cups from 2019 through 2021 with the St. Louis Blues and Tampa Bay Lightning, witnessed Ovechkin\u2019s historic night in April before hanging up his skates at the end of the season and taking up broadcasting.<\/p>\n The NHL Tonight crew also discussed the league\u2019s Quarter Century Team which features Ovechkin as one of the 12 best forwards to play over the last 25 years. Maroon was quick to heap praise on the Russian star\u2019s ability to adapt to the league\u2019s ever-changing style of play and remain dominant on offense.<\/p>\n \u201cOvi, what can you not say about the guy. He\u2019s an elite goal scorer, he scores from everywhere,\u201d Maroon said. \u201cBut I think now with him getting older, he\u2019s finding more ways to score. He\u2019s going to the front of the net, going to the dirty areas. Maybe from recent past he\u2019s maybe shooting off the fly, more odd man rushes but now he\u2019s finding different ways to score goals and I don\u2019t think we give him enough credit, he\u2019s a big, heavy guy but he\u2019s on the forecheck, he\u2019s hitting guys, he\u2019s in your face, he\u2019s doing the things that need to be done on the forecheck and he\u2019s helping his linemates.\u201d<\/p>\n Ovechkin scored 44 goals during the 2024-25 campaign at age 39 and that was even with a 40-day absence for a fractured fibula suffered in November<\/a>. He\u2019ll turn 40 in September as he enters his 21st NHL season just three tallies shy of becoming the first player in league history to score 900 career goals.<\/p>\n \t