FBI Director Kash Patel celebrates Alex Ovechkin's historic night alongside Wayne Gretzky: 'Huge props'

FBI Director Kash Patel sat alongside the large Wayne Gretzky astatine Capital One Arena connected Friday nighttime wherever the pair, joined by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, witnessed a historical nighttime successful hockey history. 

Washington Capitals prima Alex Ovechkin scored the 894th extremity of his vocation successful a 5-3 triumph implicit the Chicago Blackhawks to necktie Gretzky’s record. The extremity came successful the archetypal fewer minutes of the 3rd play connected a Capitals’ powerfulness play. 

FBI manager Kash Patel, left, talking with erstwhile NHL subordinate Wayne Gretzky, center, and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, right, during the archetypal play of an NHL hockey crippled betwixt the Washington Capitals and Chicago Blackhawks, Friday, April 4, 2025, successful Washington.  (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Teammates poured onto the crystal to situation Ovechkin. 

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In the stands, Patel and Gretzky celebrated.

"Congrats to The Great One Wayne Gretzky and immense props to #8 @ovi8," Patel said successful a station connected X. He shared a photograph wrong the locker country shaking Ovechkin’s hand. "The top crippled connected earth, honored to beryllium with them connected this grounds tying night… 894 goals #Legends @NHL." 

Ovechkin is 1 extremity distant from passing Gretzky – an accidental helium had Friday night, but refused to take. 

ALEX OVECHKIN TIES WAYNE GRETZKY'S ALL-TIME NHL GOAL RECORD

FBI manager is Kash Patel, left, tallking with erstwhile NHL subordinate Wayne Gretzky, right, during the archetypal play of an NHL hockey crippled betwixt the Washington Capitals and Chicago Blackhawks, Friday, April 4, 2025, successful Washington.  (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

"He wants to interruption the grounds with a goaltender successful the crease, which I appreciate," caput manager Spencer Carbery said. "He told maine that connected the bench, and I conscionable wanted to corroborate that helium didn’t privation to spell out. And it’s hard for america arsenic coaches, due to the fact that I conscionable wanted to marque definite successful that moment: chapeau trick, astatine home. And helium didn’t privation to spell retired and people connected an bare nett to interruption the record."

He added, "We person six games left, and helium wants to interruption the grounds and person that infinitesimal wherever he’s shooting the puck past a goalie."

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Washington Capitals near helping Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates aft scoring a extremity against the Chicago Blackhawks successful the 3rd play astatine Capital One Arena. The extremity is the 894th of his career, tying Wayne Gretzky for all-time astir goals scored successful the NHL.  (Geoff Burke-Imagn Images)

Ovechkin’s adjacent accidental volition travel Sunday against the New York Islanders astatine UBS Arena. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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