BOSTON (AP) — Alex Ovechkin scored his 891st career goal, moving him four away from passing Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record, and Dylan Strome broke a third-period tie on Tuesday night to lead the Washington Capitals to a 4-3 victory over the Boston Bruins.

Now, at age 39, Ovechkin is on the verge of becoming the NHL's all-time goals leader, and he can pass Gretzky's mark of 894 before the end of season. The Capitals standout currently has 891 career goals after he scored his 38th of the season Tuesday when he tapped home a beautiful Dylan Strome pass on a first-period power play against the Bruins.

The Capitals (47-17-9, 103 points) have lost three straight (0-2-1) after an 8-5 Sunday Buffalo Sabres, which marked the first game all season in which they allowed more than five goals. Still, Ovechkin had a three-point game which included scoring his 890th career goal,

His long connection to Russian President Vladimir Putin complicates Alex Ovechkin's legacy in the eyes of some.

Alex Ovechkin scored his 37th goal of the season in the third period of the Washington Capitals' 8-5 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday. With his goal on Sunday, Ovechkin now needs five goals to pass Wayne Gretzky for the NHL all-time goals record.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is eight goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky's NHL Goal record with odds increasing for it to happen versus the New York Islanders

The goal brought him within five of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record of 894, but Ovechkin had little interest in discussing the milestone after the game. “Right now, we lost three in a row,” Ovechkin said.