Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin took a huge leap towards overtaking Wayne Gretzky’s goalscoring record on Sunday.

Alex Ovechkin fired a perfect wrist shot past Calvin Pickard for his first goal of the game, scored from his office on the power play for his second and sailed a shot into an empty net from his own zone to complete the hat trick.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex Ovechkin scored his 880th, 881st and 882nd career goals to record a hat trick and move 13 goals away from breaking Wayne ... also scored and Charlie Lindgren made 22 ...

Tom Wilson, Jakob Chychrun, Connor McMichael and Strome also scored and Charlie Lindgren made 22 saves for the Capitals, who won back-to-back matinees out of the 4 Nations Face-Off break.

Ovechkin tied Jaromir Jagr’s record with 135 game-winning goals, and the 32nd hat trick of his 20-year NHL career moved him into a tie for fifth with Phil Esposito.

“He amazes me night in, night out,” Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren said. “He truly is the best.” Linemate Dylan Strome, who has assisted on 16 of Ovechkin's 29 goals this ...

WASHINGTON – Alex Ovechkin scored his 880th, 881st and 882nd career goals to record a hat trick and move 13 goals away from breaking Wayne ... also scored and Charlie Lindgren made 22 saves ...