Ovechkin week to week with leg injury, disrupting pursuit of Gretzky's NHL goals record

Alex Ovechkin is considered week to week after injuring his lower left leg in the Washington Capitals' most recent game at Utah.

The Capitals said Tuesday that Ovechkin would be evaluated further by doctors when they return home from their road trip. He was injured in a shin-on-shin collision with Jack McBain.

Ovechkin scored twice before leaving the game in Salt Lake City on Monday night to give him a league-best 15 goals in 18 games this season. He's at 868, 27 goals away from passing Gretzky.

There was immediate concern about Ovechkin when he left the game 5:30 into the third period. The 39-year-old took a brief twirl to test it before realizing he couldn't put much weight on his left leg and limping down the tunnel to the dressing room.

He did not return. Head coach Spencer Carbery said only that Washington's longtime captain was being evaluated after the game.

Ovechkin over two decades in the NHL has been known for his durability, which has allowed him to score at a pace unlike any other player in history. The Russian winger has only missed 35 games because of injury.

Until the injury, Ovechkin was on pace to break the record sometime in February.

WATCH | Gretzky encourages Ovechkin to break goal-scoring record:

Gretzky encourages Ovechkin to break goal scoring record

5 years ago

Duration 2:47

During a video conference between the Great One and the Great 8, Wayne Gretzky encourages Alex Ovechkin to break his goal scoring record. The Capitals captain discusses the key factors that made No. 99 one of the greatest to ever play.