Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals is closing in on the NHL goals record of 894 held by Wayne Gretzky. Ovechkin has 889 goals and needs five to tie and six to break the record.

Part of what makes Alex Ovechkin’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL goal-scoring record so compelling is that the two players are polar opposites in some ways yet stunningly similar in others.

The Washington Capitals superstar continues to close in on Gretzky’s longstanding record of 894 career NHL goals.