When Russian players with a heavy dose of offensive skill enter the NHL, there’s an inclination to compare them to Alex Ovechkin. In the fall, when Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals faced Philadelphia Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov for the first time,

PHILADELPHIA — Alex Ovechkin scored his 879th career goal to move within 16 of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL goals record and the Washington Capitals beat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 on Thursday night.

Alex Ovechkin scored his 878th career goal into an empty net with 0.1 seconds left on the clock to move closer to Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career record, and the Washington Capitals defeated the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers 6-3 on Tuesday night.