Alex Ovechkin makes history against the Blackhawks Tuesday night

CHICAGO – Fans who had tickets to Tuesday’s game at the United Center figured to have an outside chance to see history.

Alex Ovechkin had 797 goals for his career as he traveled to Chicago with the Capitals to face the Blackhawks in Chicago. While not impossible, it would have seemed that reaching 800 scores for his career might happen another night.

But the 12-time All-Star and likely future Hockey Hall of Famer was able to pull it off, as 16,181 fans witnessed a little history at the expense of the home team.

Ovechkin got two goals in the first period and then a history-making score in the third in Washington’s 7-3 win over the Blackhawks on Tuesday evening. He becomes the third player in the history of the NHL to reach 800 goals in his career in the league, joining Wayne Gretzky (894) and Gordie Howe (801).

The shot for history came quickly for Ovechkin, who scored just 24 seconds into the game and then beat goalie Petr Mrazek for a goal under eight minutes later. With 13:26 to go in the third period, the forward was in front of the net and put a rebound into the net for the history, making goal.

As his teammates mobbed him on the ice, fans at the United Center gave Ovechkin a standing ovation with others even throwing hats onto the ice in tribute to the moment.

This was a memorable aspect of another difficult game for the Blackhawks in what’s been an ugly month-and-a-half. It was the team’s four-straight loss, a stretch in which they’ve been outscored 16-4 and shutout twice.

At 7-16-4 (18 points), the Blackhawks are the second-worst team in the NHL, ahead of only the Ducks who have 17 points.