WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� witnessed Alex Ovechkin to move one back of tying , as the Canadian great made his first in-person appearance during this chase.
Gretzky said it was important to 鈥渢he integrity of the game鈥� 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.
鈥淲hen I broke Gordie鈥檚 record my dad told me that same night be as proud of the guy that breaks your record,鈥� Gretzky said at the first intermission of the Washington Capitals鈥� game against Chicago. 鈥淲hen I was breaking Gordie Howe鈥檚 record, he was there. And I said two years ago that if Alex gets close to my record, I鈥檒l be here.鈥�
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.
鈥淗e鈥檚 been supportive all the time to me,鈥� Ovechkin said. "It鈥檚 a fun time right now. We鈥檒l see what鈥檚 going to happen, but right now it鈥檚 all attention to a hockey game. It鈥檚 a pretty cool moment.鈥�
Gretzky sat with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and FBI Director Kash Patel in owner Ted Leonsis' suite for the game.
鈥淚'm so happy for the league,鈥� Gretzky said. 鈥淚鈥檓 so proud of Alex. You know what, this is so good for hockey. It鈥檚 really been a wonderful journey for everyone. Good for hockey. Great for the people in Washington and hockey fans all over the world.鈥�
NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh also joined in Washington. Gretzky entered the building just before 7 p.m. with his wife, Janet.
鈥淚t鈥檚 bigger than the game right now,鈥� said winger Tom Wilson, who like Gretzky is from Ontario. "It鈥檚 bigger than hockey. It鈥檚 the 鈥楪reat One.鈥� I mean, no one would have ever thought that would happen. The energy around this thing the whole year, it鈥檚 been second to none, and it鈥檚 been something no one鈥檚 ever gone through.鈥�
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.
鈥淭he greatest player of all time is coming to follow us for however long it takes, so it鈥檚 exciting,鈥� Capitals center Dylan Strome said. "I think Ovi and Gretzky have a pretty good relationship. And obviously the ambassador that he鈥檚 been for the game for as many years as he has, he does a ton for hockey and a ton for Canada, so it鈥檚 cool.鈥�
The anticipation is building around hockey for what's being billed the 鈥淕R8 chase,鈥� and Gretzky being in the building is the latest piece of that.
鈥淚t just shows you how close the players are in the game and how much respect there is between both of them,鈥� said retired defenseman Jason Demers, an NHL Network analyst who was also at the game after doing 鈥淣HL Live鈥� outside the arena. 鈥淗aving Wayne be there and support Ovechkin, who鈥檚 going to basically break his record and take him out of the record books, I know he鈥檚 got 20 or 30 more of them, but it鈥檚 just wild to think about the support that guys have for one another, and that鈥檚 what makes our sport so great.鈥�
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AP NHL:
Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press
