Ovechkin passes on empty-net opportunity for record-breaking goal

WASHINGTON -- Alex Ovechkin proved Friday that he will not set the NHL goals record by scoring into an empty net.

"I tell 'Carbs' (Capitals coach Spencer Carbery) right away, 'I don't want to do it,' " Ovechkin said.

The empty net was there for Ovechkin on Friday, wide open and waiting for the Washington Capitals forward to make history, for him to score goal No. 895, to set the record for most goals all time, to become the NHL's undisputed goal-scoring king.

But Ovechkin didn't take the bait late in a 5-3 win against the Chicago Blackhawks at Capital One Arena.

Ovechkin won't go on the ice to score in a 5-on-6 situation until after he scores his record-breaking 895th goal with a goalie in the crease.

He can reach that milestone as soon as Sunday, when the Capitals play the New York Islanders at UBS Arena (12:30 p.m. ET; TNT, MAX, truTV, MNMT, SN360, TVAS).

"I appreciate that," Carbery said. "We have six games left and he wants to break the record and have that moment be where he's shooting a puck past a goalie."

The Blackhawks gave Ovechkin the chance at 895 and his 33rd NHL hat trick by pulling goalie Spencer Knight with just under two minutes left in the third period Friday.

Ovechkin didn't move from his spot on the bench when Knight came off the ice on the fly.

He did hop over the boards to go to the other side of the bench during a Chicago timeout after the Capitals iced the puck at 18:17.

The fans noticed and started to cheer, but when it was time to start play again, Ovechkin had to go back on the bench because forwards Nic Dowd, Andrew Mangiapane and Ryan Leonard were on the ice when Washington iced the puck. By rule they had to stay in the game.

However, at no point after Knight was pulled did Ovechkin get the urge to go on the ice, holding firm in his conviction that he doesn't want to set the NHL all-time goals record with an empty-net goal even though he has already scored an NHL-record 65 of them.

"'Stromer' [Dylan Strome] ask me, 'Carly' [John Carlson] ask me, everybody ask me, 'Do you want it? Do you want it?' " Ovechkin said. "I said, 'Let's wait.'"

Carbery still wanted to be sure on Friday, so he questioned Ovechkin when the situation came up, thinking nobody would blame him if he wanted the chance considering he was at home, he had dozens of family members in the building, and it could have completed a hat trick.

"I just wanted to confirm and make sure that he didn't want to go out," Carbery said. "It's hard because for us as coaches I just want to make sure that, are you sure in this moment, you know, hat trick, at home, and he didn't want to go out and score on an empty net to break the record."

Gretzky was surprised when Ovechkin told him during their joint postgame press conference that he won't score his 895th goal into an empty net.

"OK," Gretzky said, smiling. "I'll take every empty-net goal I can get. I know you would too."

Not this one.

Instead, Ovechkin had a front row seat for Leonard's first NHL goal. He scored it into the empty net at 18:24.

"I'm happy for 'Leno,' " Ovechkin said. "He scored his first NHL goal. The kid has a great future."

Ovechkin, though, had no problem going back on the ice after Leonard scored for a two-goal lead and the Blackhawks put Knight back in net. In fact, he stayed on the ice for the last 1:36 of the game, generating three scoring chances but being officially credited for just one shot on goal.

"You could tell he was determined to find a way to score a goal there," Carbery said.

Ovechkin joked that it wasn't his fault.

"I have pretty good chances in the last minute," Ovechkin said. "If 'Stromer' give me a nice pass, like a flat one, it would be probably be in."

Maybe that happens Sunday, a flat pass from Strome to Ovechkin for a one-timer into the back of the net to make history.

That's certainly possible, only if a goalie is in the crease.

"I have a lot of appreciation for that," Carbery said.