Moscow, a cold December evening, the wind slicing through the Red Square like a sharpened blade. Inside the Kremlin, a file is slid across a dark mahogany desk.

Ovechkin entered this season needing 42 goals to break Gretzky's record of 894 career goals, which has stood since 1999. The Washington captain has 23 goals this season, with 31 games left. This season, he moved into second place with 20 consecutive 20-goal seasons and set a record for the number of goalies he has scored against in his career.

The Washington Capitals’ star is just 17 goals shy of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record, thanks in large part to an avalanche of goals scored into an empty net.