As Alex Ovechkin makes history, all hockey fans at UBS Arena get to go home happy

To Anders Lee, the day had a unique vibe from the start.

“It felt similar to an outdoor game, where there’s that extra buzz in the building, something bigger than the game,” the Islanders’ captain said on Sunday after a 4-1 victory over the Capitals at UBS Arena — with the one Washington goal being Alex Ovechkin’s record 895th.

“It was cool to be a part of, cool to have so many people there for warmups, even,” Lee said. “Whatever team you were cheering for, I think everyone was a hockey fan.”

So it was on a day when thousands of Capitals fans descended on Elmont and thousands more Islanders fans came to witness history, as well as a desperately needed victory for the home team.

Everyone went home happy.

“I’m crying, I’m so excited,” Cara Pugh of Sykesville, Maryland, said shortly after Ovechkin scored at 7:26 of the second period to surpass Wayne Gretzky’s career total.

Pugh was with a group of six fans, all of whom wore No. 8 Ovechkin jerseys.

Her friend, Shannon Riley of Laurel, Maryland, said, “In my group chat I just said, ‘This is the most epic thing I’ve ever seen with my eyes in person.’ ”

Pugh and Riley bought tickets on the secondary market for less than $200 after Ovechkin drew within one of tying Gretzky with the first of his two goals on Friday night.

Pugh, who said her mother witnessed Ovechkin’s first career goal in 2005, said it was a bargain.

“It’s amazing for the NHL,” she said. “Everyone wanted him to score. The New York fans have been fabulous . . . Everybody wanted to witness history.”

Nick Trialonas, a longtime Islanders fan who lived for 37 years in Commack, got an even bigger bargain. His daughter, Christine, bought him tickets in December in anticipation of his 82nd birthday, which is Monday.

“Fantastic,” he said after the second period. “As soon as they got the power play and I saw Ovi come over the boards, I said, ‘This could be it,’ and sure enough, it was.”

What did Christine think of her birthday gift coup? “Memorable,” she said.

Twin brothers Pat and Ryan Norton of Bayonne, New Jersey, are Devils fans, but Pat showed up in an Ovechkin jersey and Ryan in a vintage Gretzky Oilers jersey.

“We’re diehard Devils fans, but we appreciate greatness,” Ryan said.

The brothers waited until Ovechkin’s second goal on Friday night tied Gretzky and paid $260 for seats in the top row of UBS.

“If you told me before the game that I’d be walking out with the experience I had, I’d pay more,” Ryan said.

The Nortons were sitting above Gretzky’s location and wanted what appeared to be a long-shot autograph from The Great One.

So they borrowed a Sharpie from another fan and dropped Ryan’s jersey down to where Gretzky was seated. An associate of Gretzky handed him the shirt to sign and sent it back up to the Nortons.

“As soon as he got the jersey back, we took a picture,” Pat said. “We turned around and Ovechkin scored right there from the top of the circle like he always does.”

Jon and Danny Chesley of Merrick bought tickets to celebrate their father Steve’s 69th birthday, which was Saturday.

It was a few weeks ago, and Jon timed the purchase in anticipation of Ovechkin being close by April 6. Good thinking.

“Jon is the mastermind behind all of this,” Danny said after the second period.

Jon is an Islanders fan and an Ovechkin fan. He wore an Islanders hat and a jersey he bought during Ovechkin’s rookie season that had “Russia” in Cyrillic lettering on the front.

Did they consider selling when prices on the secondary market skyrocketed late Friday night and into Saturday before coming back down to earth Sunday morning?

“We put them up for about a thousand dollars each [on Saturday] just in case,” Jon said. “The idea was we could go to Peter Luger’s [steakhouse] and watch him there.”

The upper-deck tickets did not end up fetching the asking price, so the family went to the game instead. No regrets.

“It was awesome; it was exciting,” Steve said. “I came to watch the Islanders and see history . . . Now if we get a win, we’re OK.”

They were.

By Neil Best

neil.best@newsday.com@sportswatch

Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.