Gretzky, Ovie to square off in charity video games

Best-of-three series to stream live on Twitch

WASHINGTON

Wayne Gretzky saw the Instagram video of Alex Ovechkin playing EA Sports’ NHL 20 video game with his son, Sergei, on his lap last month, The Great One had an idea.

He contacted Sergey Kocharov, the Capitals’ vice president of communications, whom he got to know while both were with the Phoenix Coyotes, and inquired about the possibility of arranging a virtual showdown with Ovechkin.

With the NHL season and Ovechkin’s pursuit of Gretzky’s career goals record on hold due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, Gretzky, now an executive with the Edmonton Oilers, figured the two legends could provide hockey fans a diversion and do some charitable good in the process.

It’s happening. Next Wednesday, Gretzky and Ovechkin will square off in NHL 20, in an event dubbed The Great One vs. The Great Eight Showcase.

The best-of-three series will stream live on the Capitals’ Twitch channel beginning

TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP LIKE THAT WITH THE GREAT ONE, IT MEANS A LOT.

at 8 p.m. Eastern time and both Ovechkin and Gretzky will appear.

Viewers will have the opportunity to donate to the Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation and the Edmonton Food Bank to benefit the coronavirus relief effort.

“There’s been so much talk about the goal record, so there’s a nice link between Alex and myself,” Gretzky said in a phone interview.

“I thought we could do something that people could watch and help raise money for those who need it.”

Gretzky, who finished his career with 894 goals, retired six years before Ovechkin entered the league as a rookie in 2005, but the two have since developed a special bond.

As the 34-year-old Ovechkin has climbed the goal-scoring ranks with Washington, Gretzky has admired his accomplishments and offered words of encouragement from afar.

“We have a very good connection,” Ovechkin, who sits eighth on the all-time goals list with 706, said in a phone interview.

“We always stay in touch. It doesn’t matter if there’s a milestone coming up, he’s always reaching out to me and saying congrats. Before my 700th goal, I was a little down and he texted me and said, ‘Don’t worry about it, it will come.’ It’s nice of him. He’s a great person, and to have a relationship like that with The Great One, it means a lot to me.”