This era of the NHL has been highlighted by two of the greatest to ever suit up: Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby.

Crosby and Ovechkin have been the face of the NHL since they made their respective debuts in the 2005-06 season. It's only fitting that when Ovechkin became the NHL's all-time leading goalscorer, Crosby had a message ready to congratulate him.

Just moments after Ovechkin buried goal No. 895 of his career, the Pittsburgh Penguins shared Crosby's heartfelt message of congratulations for Ovechkin on social media.

"Ovi, it's been an honor to compete against you for all these years. Over that time, you've accomplished so many milestones, but this one was probably thought to be impossible, and you found a way to do it. Congratulations on scoring the most goals in NHL history. Hope you have a great night celebrating with your friends and family. Congratulations," said Crosby.

While Ovechkin's pursuit of Wayne Gretzky's goals record has dominated headlines throughout the season, Crosby also managed to swipe a longstanding bit of history from the clutches of "The Great One." Earlier this season, Crosby became the NHL's all-time leader for most seasons averaging at least one point per game. He's now achieved that feat 20 times, besting Gretzky who had done it 19 times in his 20-year career.

Crosby was nothing but class in his congratulatory message for Ovechkin, celebrating the historic accomplishment for the player whom he's rivaled throughout his entire career.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Sidney Crosby Had Heartfelt Message for Alex Ovechkin After Record-Breaking Goal.

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