It’s been two days, but the hockey world? Still totally stuck in that moment—the moment. Yep, Alex Ovechkin did it. After years of chasing greatness and lighting up rinks across the league, the man finally etched his name at the tippy top of NHL history books. Goal No. 895 hit the net like thunder, breaking Gretzky’s legendary 894 and sending the arena into absolute chills. The 39-year-old blasted that iconic wrister on a power play (of course), sliding it past fellow Russian Ilya Sorokin as his fam and The Great One himself looked on.

It was his 42nd goal of the season—third-most in the league, by the way—and the whole game literally froze just to celebrate the moment. Like, even time had to stop for this one. And while the puck stopped spinning for a bit, seems like Alex Ovechkin didn’t. Word on the ice? He’s already paying it forward in the most unexpected way. After becoming the all-time scoring king, Ovi is reportedly making moves to indulge in some banter with a fellow hockey star.

“Thx u!! I probably score goal on next shot but u retired !!” — yep, that’s what Alex Ovechkin finally posted on X, and honestly, it had everyone laughing and gasping at the same time. The internet straight-up paused. Ovi doesn’t exactly live on social media, so when the NHL’s newly crowned goal king pops back up on the timeline, you know something’s up. In fact, the last time he even reposted anything was way back in October 2024. And an original post from the man himself? We’re talking 2022 throwback territory. So, why now? Why this post? Well, turns out, the man was returning a little love—and tossing a playful jab—at a fellow hockey legend.

Enter: Curtis Joseph, the former netminder and Canadian coaching icon who retired back in 2010. He popped on X after Alex Ovechkin made history, writing, “Congrats to the greatest goal scorer of all time ⁦@ovi8. Feeling very lucky to have NOT been a part of it! 2 shots, 0 goals #kingofzero #gr8ness.” And man, that post had just the right mix of humble brag and cheeky humor. It was all love, all jokes, and all vibes—exactly the kind of hockey banter that hits just right.

So naturally, Alex Ovechkin couldn’t resist. That “next shot” comeback? Pure gold. It’s wild to think one of the greatest goal scorers of all time stepped back into the social scene just to crack a joke—and did it like a pro. And let’s be real… considering how he has scored against 183 different goaltenders, he probably would have scored on that next shot. In fact, Ilya Sorokin, the Islanders’ netminder who conceded Ovechkin’s 895th goal, had never let Ovechkin score in all of the four shots he had taken coming into the game. Moreover, it actually took Ovechkin four more attempts on April 6 to finally put one past his fellow Russian.

But coming back to the Joseph-Ovechkin banter again, how did it all start?

An honor for getting the better of Alex Ovechkin

Curtis Joseph—yeah, the legend they call Cujo—had his name stitched right into the soul of Toronto. Two stints with the NHL Maple Leafs and a whole lotta love from the city and his teammates made him more than just a reliable goaltender. Sure, he never bagged a Vezina or hoisted the Stanley Cup, but man, he was one of those ride-or-die guys you just had to cheer for. And now? He’s got a sneaky little claim to fame that’s got all the hockey nerds raising eyebrows—he’s one of the rare few who stared down Alex Ovechkin and walked away untouched. Not a single goal from the NHL’s all-time goal machine. Zilch. Nada.

And get this—Budweiser, the kings of crisp cold celebrations, sent Cujo a custom commemorative beer can. Yep, a whole beer can just to let the world know: ‘Ovi didn’t get past me.’ That’s a flex. A legendary one. Because when you’re one of the only guys who managed to dodge the Ovi slapshot saga completely? You deserve a shiny token for your shelf—and maybe a few humble brags in the group chat. Even if they didn’t face off a ton, it still counts.

Meanwhile, with the Capitals already securing playoff qualification, who knows how many more records (and goaltenders’ hearts), Ovechkin will break.