While in the Hall of Fame’s famed Stick Storage Centre, which holds more than 4,000 sticks, the oldest dating to 1875, Ovechkin was fascinated with an old, wooden one with a long flat blade. It belonged to Maurice Richard, who held the NHL goal record with 544 before Howe passed him on Nov. 10, 1963.

This is The Athletic’s daily sports newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Pulse directly in your inbox. Good morning! I caught you some beads. We start with football first this morning, as the country’s biggest sport had a surprisingly busy day yesterday.

Wayne Gretzky (894) 2. Alex Ovechkin (885 ... slotting the puck in an empty net against the Florida Panthers. Alexander Ovechkin scores an empty-netter with 0.1 left to give him his 878th goal ...

Anastasia Shubskaya, wife of Alexander Ovechkin, is more than a hockey wife. Growing up in Russia, she pursued modeling, acting, and film production.

It won't be long now. Alexander Ovechkin notched the 885th goal of his career on Wednesday, leaving him 10 away from breaking Hockey Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky's all-time record (894).