Ovechkin missed the first game between the Capitals and Sharks this season on Dec. 3 at Capital One Arena while recovering from a fractured left fibula, so it will be the first time Celebrini, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, will play against Ovechkin, the No. 1 pick in the 2004 NHL Draft.

Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin is on the verge of NHL history. He's closing in on Wayne Gretzky's all-time goal scoring record, trailing by just ei

Alex Ovechkin scored his 887th career goal Saturday to move within eight of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record and the Washington Capitals beat the San Jose Sharks 5-1. Ovechkin deflected a shot from Martin Fehervary past Georgi Romanov with 9:06 remaining in the third period.

The 39-year-old Russian star remains on pace before the end of this season to pass Wayne Gretzky’s mark of 894.

Every so often, though, the Sharks will receive a reminder of how much further they still have to go. It happened Saturday, as the Sharks were dominated in the first period and never recovered in a sometimes feisty 5-1 loss to the Eastern Conference-leading Washington Capitals before a sold-out SAP Center crowd.