Friday night’s matchup between the Washington Capitals and Chicago Blackhawks will go down in history as the night Alex Ovechkin matched Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goals record. But for Capitals rookie Ryan Leonard, the game carried a more personal milestone—one that he’ll never forget for his own reasons.

After the game, Wayne Gretzky stopped by the Capitals’ locker room to take photos with Alex Ovechkin and the historic puck. Before heading out, he asked Ovechkin to quiet the room so he could personally acknowledge the rookie Ryan Leonard and congratulate him.

“The kid who scored in the empty net, where is he?” said The Great One when talking about Leonard. “It was a tough decision, wasn’t it? ‘Do I go around the net?’ Congratulations on your first goal. 895 more and you can pass him.”

Gretzky shook hands with the 20-year-old rookie, who now trails both Gretzky and Ovechkin by 893 career goals. Leonard scored the empty-net goal with Ovechkin, just one goal shy of breaking the record, firmly insisting he didn’t want to make history with an empty-netter.

Ryan Leonard's encounter with Wayne Gretzky

Boston College forward Ryan Leonard (9) warms up before a game against the University of New Hampshire Wildcats at Conte Forum.
Eric Canha-Imagn Images
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Leonard, who described his moment with Gretzky as “pretty cool,” understood the weight of the game he had just played. Only a few days ago, he was waking up in his dorm at Boston College to head to class. Now, he’s living with NHL veteran Pierre-Luc Dubois, Ovechkin's teammate, and just shook hands with The Great One. It’s no wonder the 2023 first-round pick is still soaking in the whirlwind of events from the past few days.

Ryan Leonard, is a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as the best player in college hockey after tallying 30 goals and 49 points in his junior year at Boston College.

Friday night’s victory marked Leonard's first home game with the Capitals. He had been eager to play in front of the fans, but even he was surprised by the intensity of the crowd.

“I didn’t know I’d get that loud of a scream for an empty-net goal. Just watching the celebration, just seeing all the passion with the fan base. It’s just so cool to be a part of. I’m really just trying to soak it in, but it really just hasn’t sunk in yet,” said the Capitals Rookie.

Leonard will play his fourth career NHL game against the New York Islanders on Sunday afternoon before returning for round two at Capital One Arena with the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night.

Ovechkin netted career goals No. 893 and 894 in the game, tying Gretzky and making hockey history. Leonard has a long journey ahead to reach those totals, but he will undoubtedly be inspired.