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

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

Per the Russian outlet RMNB, Sorokin appeared on a Russian-language podcast with notable host Slippery Ice in late June. During the interview, Sorokin addressed the circumstances behind Ovechkin’s faithful goal to break Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goal-scoring mark.

Sorokin stated 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.”

Here's a look at the historic tally:

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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 efforts, Alex Ovechkin scored the goal and ended up with one of the NHL’s most hallowed records.

Sorokin gifted his goal stick to Ovechkin for nothing in return following the game. Per the article, Sorokin did it so that Alex Ovechkin would have enough memorabilia for his Russian museum.

Ilya Sorokin and the Islanders will meet Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals this upcoming season. The soon-to-be 40-year-old Ovechkin could be playing his final NHL season, though he has yet to hint at the possibility of retiring at the end of next season.

Ilya Sorokin felt frustrated during Alex Ovechkin’s ceremony

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

An interesting point Ilya Sorokin brought up during his interview was the frustration he felt during the on-ice ceremony to honor Alex Ovechkin’s historic goal.

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.”

Sorokin, while happy for his countryman’s achievement, still had business to take care of. He noted:

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

The Islanders won the game 4-1. Marc Gatcomb scored twice for the Islanders, while Sorokin made 28 saves for the win. His only blemish on the night was Ovechkin’s record-breaking goal.

Ultimately, the final score is inconsequential, as the main thing history books will remember about April 6, 2025, is Ovechkin’s milestone marker.

About the author

Nestor is an NHL and MLB writer at Sportskeeda with over 10 years of experience. Growing up in Toronto, he became an avid Maple Leafs and Blue Jays fan, but also admires the New York Islanders and Los Angeles Dodgers for their dominance in the 80s. Holding an Economics and Education major, Nestor’s passion for writing and sporting events led him to take up reporting about the sport professionally.

Nestor credits the Leafs’ playoff runs in the early '90s as having a lasting impact on him. His favorite players are Doug Gilmour and Mike Bossy, as he feels they were tough, talented leaders, while Pat Burns is his favorite coach of all time for always preaching a fast-paced game.

Growing up in Canada, it was natural for Nestor to become interested in ice hockey and he played Minor Hockey as a teenager, which has given him a unique perspective on the sport. Nestor has mastered the art of how to best present facts and he also has a knack for knowing which sources can be trusted, and which can't for stories.

When he is not writing about Canada’s national passion, Nestor enjoys running and hiking.

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Edited by Nestor Quixtan