The Great Eight is within striking distance of Wayne Gretzky's all-time NHL goals record of 894, which Gretzky reached on March 29, 1999, against the New York Islanders. Ovechkin began this season with 853 career goals.

We're tracking Ovechkin's pursuit of Gretzky's goal record and trying to determine the game in which he's most likely to break the record.

Moscow, a cold December evening, the wind slicing through the Red Square like a sharpened blade. Inside the Kremlin, a file is slid across a dark mahogany desk.