NEW YORK — Alex Ovechkin fired just about the perfect shot from the place on the ice that has defined his remarkable career. When the puck hit the net, it made him the top goal scorer in NHL history.

Ovechkin broke the legendary Wayne Gretzky's record by scoring his 895th career goal in Sunday's game between the Washington Capitals and the New York Islanders, beating fellow Russian Ilya Sorokin on a power play with 12:34 left in the second period. He took a cross-ice pass from longtime teammate Tom Wilson and fired a laser past Sorokin, with defenseman Jakob Chychrun screening.

Capitals coach Spencer Carbery called it "the ultimate goal-scorer's goal for the greatest of all time".

With the excitement of a child, the 39-year-old belly flopped onto the ice as tens of thousands of fans around him cheered and chanted, "Ovi! Ovi!" His teammates streamed off the bench onto the ice, mobbing him in celebration.

"I'm probably gonna need a couple more days, or maybe a couple of weeks to realize what it means to be No 1," Ovechkin said after a 4-1 loss that was still a party for the Capitals. "I'm really proud for myself. I'm really proud for my family, for all my teammates that helped me to reach that milestone, and for all my coaches. It's huge. It's unbelievable. It's an unbelievable moment, and I'm happy."

Ovechkin had never scored on Sorokin before, making his countryman the 183rd different goaltender he has beaten.

"Thank you to Sorokin for letting me score 895," Ovechkin said. "I love you, brother." Ovechkin asked him for the stick, and Sorokin obliged after writing "895!" and signing it.

That any player got to 895 goals, breaking a record that stood for 31 years, seemed unreal to those in the middle of it.

"It's truly incredible," said center Dylan Strome, who got the secondary assist for passing the puck to Wilson. "Sometimes, those moments happen where you've kind of got to pinch yourself to believe that you're really in them, and really on the ice celebrating and a part of it, and it was awesome."

Ovechkin broke a record that appeared to be one of the most untouchable in sports. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman made sure to point that out when he opened the 10-minute ceremony to celebrate the milestone.

"Wayne, you'll always be the 'Great One' and you had a record that nobody ever thought would be broken," Bettman said. "But, Alex, you did it."

The first to get hugs from Ovechkin were longtime equipment managers Craig "Woody" Leydig and Brock Myles, along with the rest of the training and locker room staff who have been around him so long. Ovechkin waved to acknowledge the crowd, and went through a handshake line with the Islanders, as crew members set up for the 895 ceremony that has been months in the making.