Islanders' goalie Ilya Sorokin breaks silence on Alex Ovechkin's historic shot that broke Wayne Gretzky's all-time record

NHL: Washington Capitals at New York Islanders - Source: Imagn
Islanders' goalie Ilya Sorokin breaks silence on Alex Ovechkin's historic shot that broke Wayne Gretzky's all-time record - Source: Imagn

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin revealed the circumstances behind Alex Ovechkin’s historic, record-breaking 895th career goal.

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According to the Russian outlet RMNB, Sorokin appeared on a Russian-language podcast hosted by Slippery Ice in late June. During the interview, Sorokin discussed the details behind Ovechkin’s milestone goal that broke Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goal-scoring record.

Sorokin said in Russian, translated into English:

“There were three players in front of me, and that blocked my vision a lot. I didn’t see the puck. I only saw it when it flew out of the net, and he dove down the blue line (to celebrate). That’s all I saw.”
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Sorokin added:

“I probably over-corrected a bit. He usually shoots to the left, and I took a slightly incorrect position.”

Regardless of Sorokin’s effort, Alex Ovechkin scored the goal and claimed one of the NHL’s most hallowed records.

Following the game, Sorokin gave Ovechkin his goal stick with no expectation of anything in return. According to the article, Sorokin wanted Ovechkin to have enough memorabilia for his Russian museum.

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Sorokin and the Islanders are scheduled to face Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals again this upcoming season. The soon-to-be 40-year-old Ovechkin could be entering his final NHL season, though he has not indicated whether he plans to retire after next year.

Ilya Sorokin felt frustrated during Alex Ovechkin’s ceremony

Ovechkin's ceremony last longer than anticipated, Sorokin noted - Source: Imagn
Ovechkin's ceremony last longer than anticipated, Sorokin noted - Source: Imagn

An interesting moment Ilya Sorokin mentioned during the interview was the frustration he felt during the on-ice ceremony honoring Ovechkin’s record-breaking goal.

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According to Ilya Sorokin:

“Yes, there was such a moment (of frustration). I read somewhere that initially there was a limit on celebration, 8 or 14 minutes. When it all happened, there was a strange feeling. The first five minutes — dissatisfaction, and then it was forgotten. Then we stand for 10 minutes, 20. In the end, it all lasted about 25 minutes.”
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While Sorokin was happy for his countryman’s achievement, he still had a game to focus on. He noted:

“The score was 2-1, there was still half a match to play. Well, I went to warm up.”

The Islanders went on to win the game 4-1. Marc Gatcomb scored twice, and Sorokin made 28 saves. His only blemish on the night was Ovechkin’s milestone goal.

Ultimately, the final score is inconsequential. What history will remember about April 6, 2025, is Ovechkin’s record-setting moment.

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Edited by Nestor Quixtan
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