The Great 8’s chase has officially hit the finish line. A few hours ago, Alex Ovechkin did the unthinkable as he surpassed Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal-scoring record, rippin’ home No. 895 like a boss. It happened during Sunday’s showdown against the New York Islanders, and boy, was it a moment. With 12:34 left in the second period, Ovi received a great pass from his ride-or-die Tom Wilson and just sniped one past another Russian Ilya Sorokin on the power play. That goal? A full-on laser beam, with Jakob Chychrun giving just enough of a screen to make it happen. And can you imagine this was the first time that Ovi scored against Sorokin and thus became the 183rd goalie on his list.

When the puck finally crossed the line, Ovi went all in, sliding across the ice, and the fans of the Caps erupted, chanting, “Ovi! Ovi!” from the rafters. His teammates swarmed him, the bench turned into a hug-fest, and even the Islanders joined in with some classy handshakes. The whole vibe was magic. And just as the dust was settling and the 895 celebration was getting set up, the buzz got even louder—word dropped that Alex Ovechkin’s already got post-retirement plans… and yep, they might just involve his longtime frenemy and fellow legend, Sidney Crosby.

Michelle Crechiolo, the Pens’ inside scoop queen and hockey brain behind the @penguins beat, hopped on X on April 6 to remind fans of a little post-retirement daydream that’s got the entire NHL universe soft-smiling. This former college hockey star let the fans in on a cozy lil’ nugget straight from the heart of the game’s greatest rivalry. “Alex Ovechkin has said he wants to have a couple of beers with Sidney Crosby after they retire and reflect on it all. Ovi, the greatest goal scorer in NHL history. Sid, the most consistently elite to ever do it. We are so lucky to have watched these two for the last 20 years.”

Like come on—imagine the two GOATs, beers in hand, just chillin’ and reminiscing over two decades of highlight reels, chirps, battles, and shared greatness. That’s not just retirement talk—that’s hockey poetry in motion.

Well, it was back in February 2023, when Alex Ovechkin said, “I’m pretty sure when me and him is going to be retired, we’re going to have a couple of beers together.” And well, Crosby? He was absolutely in on the scene and said, “Oh yeah, we have a lot to catch up on.” And Sid the Kid’s journey? Man, it’s straight out of a hockey fairytale. From lighting it up with Rimouski to becoming the teenage legend in the NHL, Crosby didn’t just skate into the league–he etched his name into the very heart of it.

Youngest to hit 100 points? Done. Scoring title as a teen? Yep, the only one across all major North American sports. Of course, he won the Stanley Cup three times and made it to the list of the 100 Greatest NHL Players of all time. As for their rivalry, it has been at the forefront of NHL lore since Ovechkin narrowly beat Crosby to the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2006. Since then, Crosby has won more Stanley Cups than his Russian counterpart (1). What’s even more interesting is that in each of those four championship runs, the Penguins and the Capitals took each other on in the playoffs. And let’s not forget how, earlier in the season, Crosby surpassed Wayne Gretzky in his own way by recording his 20th point-per-game season.

Now that the rumors of retirement are circulating, Sid is not quite ready to call it a career just yet. He’s made it clear—he wants to ride into the sunset in black and gold, staying a Penguin till the very end. And Alex Ovechkin? Well, when asked about calling it quits, he casually dropped a “I don’t think so.” But the coolest part? Despite the rivalry, when Alex Ovechkin dethroned Gretzky’s all-time goals record, Crosby didn’t stay quiet—he sent his props loud and proud. Two legends, two jerseys, one shared respect.

Alex Ovechkin receives a heartfelt message from Sidney Crosby!

This NHL era? It has been nothing less than legendary and all thanks to the two icons: Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby. These two have been the life and soul of the game since joining the league in 2005-06 season, battling it out on ice while earning mad respect from fans and each other. So when Ovi fired in goal No. 895 and officially became the NHL’s all-time top scorer, you already knew Crosby had something special to say.

Just minutes after that record-breaking puck hit the net, the Penguins dropped Sid’s message online: “Ovi, it’s been an honor to compete against you for all these years. Over that time, you’ve accomplished so many milestones, but this one was probably thought to be impossible, and you found a way to do it. Congratulations on scoring the most goals in NHL history. Hope you have a great night celebrating with your friends and family. Congratulations.” Total class.

And while Alex Ovechkin’s been chasing Gretzky’s goal record, Crosby’s been out here quietly breaking one of his own—becoming the NHL’s all-time leader in seasons averaging a point per game. Yup, 20 times now, passing The Great One’s 19. Two GOATs, two careers still shining, and a rivalry rooted in nothing but respect and pure hockey greatness.