Capitals' Eastern Conference lead won't push pause button on Alex Ovechkin's goals record chase

Do not fret, Washington Capitals fans (and hockey fans for that matter). Alexander Ovechkin will not be resting up for the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the regular season hits the home stretch.

The Capitals are head and shoulders the best team in the Eastern Conference with 96 standings points, 11 more than the next closest team (Florida Panthers, 85 points). Barring an absolute disaster over the final 14 games, Washington will lock up the No. 1 seed with ease.

Typically teams will look to rest some of their star players in the final week or so of the regular season so that they can return refreshed for the playoffs. But Washington head coach Spencer Carbery put any speculation over Ovechkin's status for the remainder of the year to rest on Tuesday.

"Can you imagine if I [rested Ovechkin]," Carbery told reporters. "As long as he's chasing the record, I doubt he'll be sitting in section 304."

Alex Ovechkin will chase Wayne Gretzky's goal record until the end of the regular season

As many fans already know, Ovechkin is extremely close to catching Hockey Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record (894). The 39-year-old Capitals captain scored goal No. 887 on Saturday against the San Jose Sharks, now needing just eight more tallies to surpass "The Great One" and immortalize himself in NHL lore.

Gretzky's record would've probably been broken by now if Ovechkin hadn't suffered a broken leg on Nov. 18 against the Utah Hockey Club. He was forced to miss 16 games, but since returning he has scored 19 goals in 34 contests, which makes his impending historic achievement all the more incredible to witness.

Ovechkin will be looking to end his chase for Gretzky as soon as possible so he and his teammates can shift their focus on trying to lift the Stanley Cup for the second time in franchise history.