Ovechkin pulled the Capitals within 6-4 at 9:11 of the third period when he got position at the top of the crease and deflected Rasmus Sandin’s shot from the left point down between James Reimer’s pads. Ovechkin, who also had two assists, has 37 goals in 57 games for the Capitals.

Ovechkin is five goals from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record, but the captain’s team is in a funk that continued Sunday with an 8-5 loss to the scuffling Sabres.

Washington captain Alex Ovechkin, 39, is five goals from breaking Wayne Gretzky's NHL record after scoring the 890th of his career during the third period of the Capitals' home game Sunday, an 8-5 loss to the Buffalo Sabres at Capital One Arena.