Ovechkin passes Dionne for 5th on all-time goals list

Alex Ovechkin is one step closer to making history.

The Washington Capitals superstar took sole possession of fifth place on the NHL's all-time goals list, putting away his 732nd tally to surpass Marcel Dionne.

Ovechkin tied Dionne earlier in the third period but quickly potted a second to accomplish the feat. The score also marked Ovechkin's first shorthanded goal since the 2008-09 season.

The 36-year-old now needs 10 more tallies to pass Brett Hull in fourth place, while 34 more will tie him with Jaromir Jagr in the top three.

As for the ultimate prize, Ovechkin will still have to score 163 more times to pass Wayne Gretzky at the very top of the list.

The Capitals were initially uncertain about Ovechkin's status for their campaign opener against the New York Rangers. The club listed the Russian native as a game-time decision since he was dealing with a lower-body injury after awkwardly colliding with Philadelphia Flyers forward Travis Konecny in Friday's preseason finale.

Washington ended up winning its first regular-season contest 5-1.