The glory for the Washington Capitals didn’t just come with their massive 5-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, but with a part of that memorable night where one milestone was achieved! Oh well, with Alex Ovechkin tying the great Wayne Gretzky record, it adds up to two! And for fans? They indeed cheered with teary eyes while witnessing history in real time!

While the Washington captain gave a 1-0 lead during the first period of the game, it was another empty net goal that came from the Capitals’ fresh pick of the season—Ryan Leonard that created the real buzz! And with Gretzky himself present at the match, it wasn’t until he made the team hush and looked precisely for Leonard–“Quiet! Quiet! The kid who scored in the empty net, where is he?” Well, what followed next?

Travis Turhill took no time to post the exact dressing room clip on X! “Ryan leonard was in 8am econ class 4 days ago and now he’s shaking hands with Wayne Gretzky after scoring his first nhl goal life is crazy,” the caption read, and boom—a huge round of applause followed by many woahs to lift up the young star’s spirits high! The Capitals seem to be rallied by this rising rookie.

While all eyes were fixed on Ovechkin with his one goal left to break the legendary record, the captain simply refused to seal the deal! And there, a hit in the empty net by the rookie, notching his first NHL goal! Well, it was all a game already dripping with history. While Leonard made his own mark, it was Gretzky who later gave him a nod that Leonard called “pretty cool” and said, “Congratulations on your first goal.”

But for Leonard, the empty-net goal didn’t seem like a rookie milestone, but a front-row ticket to hockey history surely did! “So, I mean, it’s cool to score your first, but that guy scored a lot of goals. So I think it’s even cooler with just sprinting onto the ice. Everyone is just so happy and excited. It’s just the culture in here. It speaks for itself. It’s so much fun to play for the Capitals and to watch that guy do the impossible, honestly,” Leonard pointed out. After all, getting your first NHL goal is unforgettable only while you skate alongside one of the greatest ever, right?

Wayne Gretzky simply couldn’t miss the night!

Despite scoring the first goal and asking Leonard what stood out most of the night, he won’t even lead with that! Like a page torn straight out of hockey’s storybook, all that mattered was what the hockey community witnessed. “It’s so weird to think about. To think about this is my first pro week, and I think, scored in all three games,” said Leonard while emphasizing that the captain hasn’t missed a beat to create the buzz in the arena!

And for Gretzky? Well, he didn’t miss his chance to be present there with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman! Call it one of Gretzky’s greatest moments in life—to see history repeating itself. To say that this time, the roles were reversed. With Gretzky breaking Gordie Howe’s record back in 1994, the legend himself felt the purity of the moment that later became a quiet promise to his late father, Walter, who once told him, “You make sure you have the same dignity and respect when the guy breaks your record, that Gordie Howe has shown you.”

With Ovechkin at 894 goals now and Leonard already climbing his success ladder with the Washington Capitals, it’s pure magic that the NHL is witnessing. Old guards stand tall for the rising stars, and moments are being shared across generations! And Gretzky, well, the Great Gretzky, does not stop from reminding the fans that records aren’t just numbers but stories, passed on with torches. And that truly proves the fact—hockey is more than just a game!