Alex Ovechkin's race to 895: Watch key goals on path to passing Wayne Gretzky

Alex Ovechkin, the NHL's new goal-scoring leader, stormed out of the gate with two goals in his first game in 2005.

His league debut delayed by a season-long lockout, the 2004 No. 1 overall pick put on a show in his rookie year. The Russian winger threw his body around for the Washington Capitals, bulled past defenders with speed, beat goalies with a wicked shot and celebrated enthusiastically.

He scored 52 times in 2005-06 to edge Sidney Crosby for rookie of the year. It was clear that a new goal-scoring threat had emerged.

Twenty years later, his style has changed, but his shot remains difficult to stop. He has racked up nine goal-scoring titles and passed Wayne Gretzky's 894, a record once thought to be unbreakable.

He scored twice on Friday to tie the record and ripped a power-play goal shot past New York Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin on Sunday afternoon to stand alone as the NHL's top goal scorer.

He scored in Game No. 1,487, the same number as Gretzky's played. The goal was scored 21 years after the Capitals won

Here are Ovechkin's milestone goals and other memorable ones:

First goal

Ovechkin ended up with two goals in his Oct. 5, 2005 NHL debut against the Columbus Blue Jackets. It was just what was needed with the league emerging from a canceled season.

Stunning the Coyotes

In case you didn't think that a two-goal debut meant Ovechkin would have a special career, just check out this rookie year, highlight-reel goal on Jan. 16, 2006. Ovechkin appeared to be down and out, and he still managed to slide a no-look backhander past Phoenix Coyotes goalie Brian Boucher. Making the goal even more impressive: It was done in front of Gretzky, who was coaching the Coyotes at the time.

100th career goal

After getting 52 goals his first season and 46 his second, Ovechkin needed only two goals in his third campaign to hit the century mark. He did it in his fourth game of the season (Oct. 12, 2007), in typical Ovechkin fashion, with speed, a slick move and a quick shot.