WASHINGTON (AP) — Wayne Gretzky witnessed Alex Ovechkin scoring his 893rd goal to move one back of tying his NHL record, as the Canadian great made his first in-person appearance during this chase.
Gretzky said it was important to “the integrity of the game” to make sure he was there in case Ovechkin broke his mark, just like Gordie Howe was when he set the record in the spring of 1994.
“When I broke Gordie’s record my dad told me that same night be as proud of the guy that breaks your record,” Gretzky said at the first intermission of the Washington Capitals’ game against Chicago. “When I was breaking Gordie Howe’s record, he was there. And I said two years ago that if Alex gets close to my record, I’ll be here.”
Ovechkin said after his team’s morning skate across the river in Arlington, Virginia, that it was great Gretzky was going to be in attendance.
“He’s been supportive all the time to me,” Ovechkin said. “It’s a fun time right now. We’ll see what’s going to happen, but right now it’s all attention to a hockey game. It’s a pretty cool moment.”
Gretzky sat with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and FBI Director Kash Patel in owner Ted Leonsis’ suite for the game.
“I’m so happy for the league,” Gretzky said. “I’m so proud of Alex. You know what, this is so good for hockey. It’s really been a wonderful journey for everyone. Good for hockey. Great for the people in Washington and hockey fans all over the world.”
NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh also joined in Washington. Gretzky entered the building just before 7 p.m. with his wife, Janet.
“It’s bigger than the game right now,” said winger Tom Wilson, who like Gretzky is from Ontario. “It’s bigger than hockey. It’s the ‘Great One.’ I mean, no one would have ever thought that would happen. The energy around this thing the whole year, it’s been second to none, and it’s been something no one’s ever gone through.”
Not at least in 31 years, since Gretzky passed Howe’s all-time mark of 801 career goals. Gretzky is accompanying Ovechkin on the approach to 895 like Howe did for him on the way to 802 in 1994.
“The greatest player of all time is coming to follow us for however long it takes, so it’s exciting,” Capitals center Dylan Strome said. “I think Ovi and Gretzky have a pretty good relationship. And obviously the ambassador that he’s been for the game for as many years as he has, he does a ton for hockey and a ton for Canada, so it’s cool.”
The anticipation is building around hockey for what’s being billed the “GR8 chase,” and Gretzky being in the building is the latest piece of that.
“It just shows you how close the players are in the game and how much respect there is between both of them,” said retired defenseman Jason Demers, an NHL Network analyst who was also at the game after doing “NHL Live” outside the arena. “Having Wayne be there and support Ovechkin, who’s going to basically break his record and take him out of the record books, I know he’s got 20 or 30 more of them, but it’s just wild to think about the support that guys have for one another, and that’s what makes our sport so great.”
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