Alex Ovechkin scores his 858th goal and is on pace to break Wayne Gretzky's record this season

WASHINGTON — (AP) — Nine games into the Washington Capitals' season, Alex Ovechkin is scoring at a rate that would put him past Wayne Gretzky as soon as this spring.

Ovechkin scored his 858th career goal Thursday night against the Montreal Canadiens, putting him 37 away from breaking Gretzky's NHL record before the end of this season. He entered this season 42 away from breaking a mark that long seemed unapproachable.

"He's been awesome," said linemate Aliaksei Protas, who scored a goal assisted on by Ovechkin in a 6-3 victory. "The way he celebrates, you feel like it's his first NHL goal — when you know he's chasing one of the unreal records."

The 39-year-old Ovechkin has already scored five this season and continues piling up goals unlike anyone at this age in hockey history.

“You see the look in his eyes, just feels happy to be there, celebrating like a kid,” Protas said. "It’s special. That’s what makes him an unbelievable player and scorer, that’s for sure. That’s how hungry he is to score.”

Ovechkin made Montreal's Cayden Primeau the 176th different goaltender he has scored on. He's well on his way to his 19th 30-goal season — and his 18 were already the most of anyone in NHL history.

After his three-point game against the Canadiens, Ovechkin credited Protas and center Dylan Strome for making it easy on him to fill the net.

“You can see empty netters, you know?" Ovechkin said. “(Strome and Protas) find me out there, and I almost miss it, too.”

Ovechkin and the Capitals are off to their best start in nearly a decade, winning seven of their first nine games for the first time since 2015-16.

“Right now, we feel fun,” Ovechkin said. "We support each other. When you win the games, the kind of atmosphere always like that from the coaches from the players. I hope it’s going to continue like that, but it doesn’t matter what’s going to happen because it’s a long season. It’s going to be ups and downs obviously, so we have to stick together no matter what.”

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