3 The Goal
On January 16, 2006, Alex Ovechkin would score a goal for the ages and the goal just so happened to be scored in front of Wayne Gretzky who was coaching the Arizona Coyotes at the time.
"I didn't see the puck go in because I was on my back. I had to look if I didn't hit the boards or get injured, so I look up and see (Boyd Gordon) and (Brendan Witt) came to me and start like, celebrate, so I have to go and see and look what happened, how I did it. For that moment, it was just an unbelievable time. My dream was come true. I was playing in the NHL, I did kind of a special goal, and Gretzky was there as well."Alex Ovechkin to The Washington Post
Gretzky wasn't the only memorable name in attendance as an eight year old Auston Matthews was also there. He told Sportsnet during his rookie year
"I was there, yeah. It was unbelievable. That was back when I think Gretzky was coaching. He was just looking up. He couldn't believe it. I think everybody up in the stands - nobody really cheered - they really couldn't get their heads wrapped around what just happened. "Auston Matthews