Ehlers scores in OT as Jets beat Capitals 3-2 to clinch playoff spot, overcome Ovechkin's 889th goal

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Nikolaj Ehlers scored on a breakaway 1:28 into overtime and the Winnipeg Jets clinched a playoff spot, beating the Washington Capitals 3-2 on Tuesday night in a matchup of the NHL's top two teams.

Josh Morrissey and Mason Appleton also scored for the Jets, who swept the two-game season series with the Capitals — both wins coming in overtime. Connor Hellebuyck finished with 27 saves.

Alex Ovechkin scored his 889th goal to move six away from breaking Wayne Gretzky's NHL record, and Andrew Masngiapane also scored for the Capitals. Logan Thompson had 22 saves.

The Eastern Conference-leading Capitals were in a line change in overtime when Ehlers grabbed the puck and fired a wrist shot past Thompson for his 24th goal of the season.

Ovechkin had tied the game 2-2 with a one-timer that went through Hellebuyck’s pads with four minutes remaining in the third period.

Jets: Winnipeg marked its third consecutive season making the playoffs and seventh time in the past eight years. The Jets had to adjust to playing without injured forward Gabriel Vilardi (upper-body injury), who was replaced by Alex Iafallo. The juggling moved Adam Lowry up to the second line to center Ehlers and Appleton.

Capitals: Washington is now 9-1-1 in its last 11 games. The Capitals went into the game defeating 28 of the league’s other 31 teams this season ­— except Winnipeg, Minnesota (which they play Thursday) and Chicago (which visits Washington on April 4).

Ovechkin’s 36th goal of the season tied the score 2-2 with four minutes left in the third period. It came a minute after Hellebuyck denied Tom Wilson on a one-timer.

Winnipeg is now 37-0-1 when leading after two periods.

Capitals visit Minnesota on Thursday, and Jets host New Jersey on Friday.

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

Winnipeg Jets' Dylan Samberg (54) blocks a shot in front of Washington Capitals' Haydn Fleury (24) and goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP)

Washington Capitals' Andrew Mangiapane (88) celebrates his goal on Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP)

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) makes a save on Washington Capitals' Connor McMichael (24) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP)

Washington Capitals' Andrew Mangiapane (88) scores on Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP)

Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates his 889th NHL goal against the Winnipeg Jets during the third period of their NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP)

Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates his 889th NHL goal with teammates against the Winnipeg Jets during the third period of their NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP)

Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates his 889th NHL goal against the Winnipeg Jets during the third period of their NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP)

Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin (8) scores his 889th NHL goal against the Winnipeg Jets during the third period of their NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Tuesday March 25, 2025. (Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP)

Winnipeg Jets' Josh Morrissey (44) celebrates his goal against the Washington Capitals with Kyle Connor (81) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP)

Winnipeg Jets' Nikolaj Ehlers (27) scores the game-winning goal in overtime against Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson (48) during the third period of their NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The top vaccine official with the Food and Drug Administration has resigned and criticized the nation’s top health official for allowing “misinformation and lies” to guide his thinking behind the safety of vaccinations.

Dr. Peter Marks sent a letter to Acting FDA Commissioner Sara Brenner on Friday saying that he would resign and retire by April 5 as director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.

In his letter, which was obtained by The Associated Press, Marks said he was “willing to work” to address the concerns expressed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., about the safety of vaccinations. But he concluded that wasn't possible.

“It has become clear that truth and transparency are not desired by the Secretary, but rather he wishes subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies,” he wrote.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to a request for comment.

Marks was offered the choice of resigning or being fired by Kennedy, according to a former FDA official familiar with the discussions, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he didn’t have permission to discuss the matter publicly.

Kennedy has a long history of spreading anti-vaccine misinformation, although during his Senate confirmation hearings he seemed to say he would not undermine vaccines. He promised the chair of the Senate health committee that he would not change existing vaccine recommendations.

Since becoming secretary, Kennedy has vowed to scrutinize the safety of childhood vaccinations, despite decades of evidence they are safe and have saved millions of lives.

Marks oversaw the agency’s rapid review and approval of COVID-19 vaccines and treatments during the pandemic.

Marks is credited with coining the name and concept for “Operation Warp Speed,” the effort under President Donald Trump to rapidly manufacture vaccines while they were still being tested for safety and efficacy. The initiative cut years off the normal development process.

Despite the project’s success, Trump repeatedly lashed out at the FDA for not approving the first COVID shots even sooner. Trump told confidants after his 2020 loss that he would have been re-elected if the vaccine had been available before Election Day.

Dr. Paul Offit, a vaccine expert at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, criticized what he called the “firing” of Marks.

“RFK Jr.’s firing of Peter Marks because he wouldn’t bend a knee to his misinformation campaign now allows the fox to guard the hen house," Offit said. “It’s a sad day for America’s children.”

Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf said the issues raised in Marks' resignation letter “should be frightening to anyone committed to the importance of evidence to guide policies and patient decisions.”

“I hope this will intensify the communication across academia, industry and government to bolster the importance of science and evidence,” he wrote.

The resignation follows news Friday that HHS plans to lay off 10,000 workers and shut down entire agencies, including ones that oversee billions of dollars in funds for addiction services and community health centers across the country.

In a post on social media Thursday, Kennedy criticized the department he oversees as an inefficient “sprawling bureaucracy." He also faulted the department’s 82,000 workers for a decline in Americans’ health.

The resignation is the latest blow to the beleaguered health agency, which has been rocked for weeks by layoffs, retirements and a chaotic return-to-office process that left many staffers without permanent offices, desks or other supplies. Last month, Jim Jones, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for foods, resigned, citing “the indiscriminate firing” of nearly 90 staffers in his division, according to a copy of his resignation letter obtained by the AP.

Marks, who could not be reached for comment, also raised concerns in his letter about “efforts currently being advanced by some on the adverse health effects of vaccination are concerning” as well as the “unprecedented assault on scientific truth that has adversely impacted public health in our nation.”

He went on to detail the historic benefits of vaccinations dating back to George Washington and pointed to the ongoing measles outbreak as proof of what can happen when doubts about science take hold.

“The ongoing multistate measles outbreak that is particularly severe in Texas reminds us of what happens when confidence in well-established science underlying public health and well-being is undermined,” he wrote.

The measles outbreak, which could go on for months, has now spread to Kansas and Ohio after sickening more than 370 in Texas and New Mexico.

If it hits other unvaccinated communities across the U.S., as may now be the case in Kansas, the outbreak could endure for a year and threaten the nation’s status as having eliminated the local spread of the vaccine-preventable disease, public health experts said.

Casey reported from Boston. Perrone reported from Washington, D.C.

FILE - Dr. Peter Marks, Director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research within the Food and Drug Administration testifies during a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions hearing to examine an update from Federal officials on efforts to combat COVID-19, Tuesday, May 11, 2021 on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Jim Lo Scalzo/Pool via AP, File)