Gretzky witnesses Ovechkin moving 1 goal back of his record as he joins the chase in person

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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FBI director is Kash Patel, left, tallking with former NHL player Wayne Gretzky, right, during the first period of an NHL hockey game between the Washington Capitals and Chicago Blackhawks, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

FBI director is Kash Patel, left, tallking with former NHL player Wayne Gretzky, center, and NHL Commisioner Gary Bettman, right, during the first period of an NHL hockey game between the Washington Capitals and Chicago Blackhawks, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

FBI director is Kash Patel, left, tallking with former NHL player Wayne Gretzky, center, and NHL Commisioner Gary Bettman, right, during the first period of an NHL hockey game between the Washington Capitals and Chicago Blackhawks, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

FILE - New York Rangers' Wayne Gretzky (99) celebrates scoring a goal in the third period during an NHL hockey game against the Dallas Stars in Dallas, Friday, Nov. 7, 1997. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

FILE - Los Angeles Kings' Wayne Gretzky (99) of the Los Angeles Kings scores his record-setting 802nd career NHL goal during an NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks in Wednesday, March 23, 1994, at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Draper, File)

FILE - Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin reacts during a media availability at the team's NHL hockey training camp in Arlington, Va., Sept. 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)

FILE - Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky laughs as he wears his new Hockey Hall of Fame ring during his induction ceremony at the Hall in Toronto, Nov. 22, 1999. (AP Photo/Frank Gunn, File)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee schools would be allowed to turn away or charge students tuition if their families cannot prove their legal residency under a proposal that advanced Thursday out of the GOP-dominated Senate.

The legislation is designed to directly challenge the 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Plyler v. Doe, in which the justices found it unconstitutional to deny children an education based on their immigration status. For decades, the ruling has protected children of families living in the country illegally and granted them the right to attend public school.

The Tennessee proposal still faces hurdles in the state House.

President Donald Trump, who is moving aggressively to deport immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally as well as some visa and green card holders, appears to have emboldened Republicans who previously may have been uneasy about revoking public education from young children.

Similar proposals this year have popped up in conservatives states such as Oklahoma and Texas, but no state has advanced the idea as far as Tennessee has.

“The Plyler decision in 1982 was the voice of the court being imposed on the people,” said Tennessee Republican Sen. Bo Watson, a sponsor of the legislation. “This is the voice of the people being exercised through their elected officials.”

On Thursday, Republican senators endorsed Watson's bill 19 to 13. Seven Republicans joined the chamber's six Democrats in opposing it, at times showing emotion or even tearing up.

"I don’t think it’s proper to punish children for their parents’ mistake,” said Republican Sen. Ferrell Haile, who quoted Bible passages while making his argument.

Shortly after the vote, a handful of protesters — including school children — yelled out and were removed from the public gallery.

Several steps remain before the bill can become law. The House version is still making its way through legislative committees, and currently contains differences from the Senate proposal. The two chambers would have to hash those out before the legislation could be sent to Republican Gov. Bill Lee for his signature.

Lee has not yet publicly weighed in on the proposal, but he has never vetoed a bill. Lawmakers also have the option of overriding any veto with a simple majority vote.

A Tennessee state flag hangs near a window of the Senate chamber as demonstrators protest an immigration bill outside at the state Capitol Thursday, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

State troopers stop Ingrid McIntyre and Michele Flynn, second from right, as McIntyre argues to go inside the Senate after protesting an immigration bill outside the chamber at the state Capitol Thursday, April 10, 2025 in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Demonstrators hold up signs protesting an immigration bill as it is discussed in the Senate chamber at the state Capitol Thursday, April 10, 2025 in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Democratic Senator Raumesh Akbari hugs a young demonstrator as people gather to protest an immigration bill outside the Senate chamber at the state Capitol Thursday, April 10, 2025 in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Democtratic Sen. Jeff Yarbro, of Nashville, talks to a group protesting an immigration bill outside the Senate chamber at the state Capitol Thursday, April 10, 2025 in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Rina Belmont protests an immigration bill outside the Senate chamber at the state Capitol Thursday, April 10, 2025 in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Adalid Lopez, 7, and friends attend a protest against an immigration bill outside the Senate chamber at the state Capitol Thursday, April 10, 2025 in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Nancy Steffen holds a sign as she protests an immigration bill outside the Senate chamber at the state Capitol Thursday, April 10, 2025 in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)