Wayne Gretzky has been helping Alex Ovechkin long before this record goal chase

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Wayne Gretzky has been helping Alex Ovechkin long before this record goal chase

2025-04-06 00:45 Last Updated At：00:52

WASHINGTON (AP) — A little more than three decades before Alex Ovechkin's pursuit of Wayne Gretzky's NHL career goals record, the “Great One” had his own chase.

Gretzky was in hot pursuit of Gordie Howe's record in the spring of 1994. Howe was there when Gretzky tied and passed him. His father, Walter Gretzky, told him to be there, be supportive and be proud if anyone approached the record again.

Heeding his father's advice, Gretzky made his first in-person appearance for Ovechkin in time to see the Washington Capitals captain score his 893rd and 894th goals to tie his mark. But Gretzky has been helping Ovechkin along the way to this point far before Friday night.

It was December 2022, and Ovechkin stalled out just short of passing Howe for second on the all-time list, going four whole games without a goal.

“I called him and I said, ‘Hey, you’ve got to relax out there,'" Gretzky recalled. “And he’s like, ‘You know, I’m pressing.’ And I said, ‘For most people, that’s 20 games without a goal.’”

Gretzky told Ovechkin he would be at 900 goals before he knows it. Not so fast, though Ovechkin gets his first opportunity at No. 895 and sole possession of one of hockey's biggest records on Sunday at the New York Islanders.

Of course, Gretzky will be there. Ovechkin wouldn't have it any other way.

Sitting beside him, Ovechkin turned and said: "Thank you, Wayne, for your support, for your kindness. It’s great.”

“I’m very happy to be in this spot,” Ovechkin said. “I’m always gonna be grateful for it and thanks to Wayne, how he supports me, how he always gives me advice to be patient, don’t put yourself in a stress position. I’m happy right now.”

The happiness was like a wave throughout the night, from a pregame ceremony honoring teammates Ovechkin won the Stanley Cup with in 2018 through his two goals and a video montage of the path to 894.

After the game was over, Ovechkin and Gretzky shared a moment inside the Capitals locker room, a hug and some words before taking pictures to celebrate the occasion.

“You could tell he was genuinely happy for ‘O,'” longtime teammate Tom Wilson said. “To see those two guys standing together and embracing, giving each other a hug and a congratulations, I don’t think 10-year-old Tom would have thought he would ever be in that room to see that happen. Just an incredible moment between the two best goal scorers of all time.”

At some point, whether it's Sunday, Thursday at home against Carolina or next weekend in either half of a back to back against Columbus, Ovechkin should surpass Gretzky.

Asked what he might tell Ovechkin when that happens, Gretzky quipped, “Why'd you do it?”

In reality, Gretzky will likely have a smile on his face like Howe did on March 31, 1994, because he knows what this chase means for the sport.

“It’s really been a wonderful journey for everyone,” Gretzky said. “It’s great for hockey. I’m so happy for the league. I’m so proud of Alex. ... Great for the people in Washington and hockey fans all over the world.”

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Egg prices increase to record high despite Trump's predictions and bird flu outbreak slowing

2025-04-10 21:56 Last Updated At：22:01

U.S. egg prices increased again last month to reach a new record-high of $6.23 per dozen despite President Donald Trump’s predictions, a drop in wholesale prices and no egg farms having bird flu outbreaks.

The increase reported Thursday in the Consumer Price Index means consumers and businesses that rely on eggs should not anticipate immediate relief. Demand for eggs is typically elevated until after Easter, which falls on April 20.

Industry experts were expecting the index to reflect a drop in retail egg prices because wholesale egg prices dropped significantly in March. University of Arkansas agricultural economist Jada Thompson said the wholesale prices did not start dropping until mid-March, so there may not have been enough time for the average price for the month to decline even if prices stared to fall at the end of the month. And grocery stores may not have immediately passed on the lower prices.

Bird flu outbreaks were cited as the major cause of price spikes in January and February after more than 30 million egg-laying chickens were killed to prevent the spread of the disease. Only 2.1 million birds were slaughtered in March and none of them were on egg farms

The farms that had fall outbreaks have been working to resume egg production after sanitizing their barns and raising new flocks, but chickens must be about six months old before they start laying eggs. Thompson said those farms did not come back online as quickly as anticipated. In the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture numbers, there were only about 285 million hens laying eggs nationwide as of March 1, down from 293 million the previous month. Before the outbreak, the flock typically numbered more than 315 million.

Trump tried to take credit for the lower wholesale egg prices the USDA reported in recent weeks. But experts say the president’s plan to fight bird flu by focusing on strengthening egg farmers’ defenses against the virus is likely to be more of a long-term help.

“I think there are lots of people who are looking to see the egg prices coming down because they wanted to call it a win. And I think it’s a loss for everybody. I think we all want to see egg prices come down,” Thompson said.

Egg prices are still expected to decline later this spring, but the latest numbers could also increase scrutiny of Cal-Maine Foods, which provides 20% of the nation’s eggs, and other large egg producers.

Earlier this week, Cal-Maine acknowledged it is being investigated by the antitrust division of the U.S. Department of Justice, which is looking into egg price increases. Cal-Maine said it is cooperating with the investigation.

In its most recent quarter, which ended March 1, Cal-Maine said its net income more than tripled to $508.5 million compared to the same period a year ago. The company said its revenue nearly doubled to $1.42 billion, largely because of higher egg prices.

Since the current bird flu outbreak began, more than 168 million birds have been slaughtered, most of them egg-laying chickens. Any time a bird gets sick, the entire flock is killed to help keep bird flu from spreading. That can have an effect on the egg supply because massive egg farms may have millions of birds.

The disease is difficult to control because it is spread easily through the droppings of wild birds that carry the avian flu virus. Bird flu has also inflected other animals, including dairy cattle.

Egg prices hit $5.90 in February one month after setting a record at $4.95 per dozen, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. But shoppers encountered prices much higher than that in some places; in California, the price per dozen topped $12 in some stores.

Earlier in the outbreak, egg prices spiked to hit $4.82 in January 2023 before gradually falling as low as $2.04 per dozen in August 2023. Generally, prices have since increased steadily.

Associated Press writer Dee-Ann Durbin contributed to this report.