The History of the Oil Man: Remember that Gretzky broke Howe’s Points Record at Night – Hockey Writer – The History of the Oil Man
Anyone who has the honor of watching Wayne Gretzky with Wayne Gretzky on the Edmonton Oilers knows that Legend Center has an incredible opportunity.
Whether it was lighting the lights in front of the goalkeeper or even seeing the puck, making the perfect pass or standing out, Gretzky's combination of vision and ability allowed him to do something impossible on the ice to be just a mortal.
He can also bend the calendar into his will.
Recorded as 1,850
35 years ago, on October 15, 1989, Gretzky recorded 1,851Yingshi His career is to surpass Goddy Howe.
There is no suspense about whether Gretzky will become the league's greatest scorer. Once he recorded his 1000Th In his career before his 24th birthday, it was not a question, but when and where that moment happened.
It was the last part that made Gretzky’s record-breaking night so special.
Trade breaks Edmonton's heart
Fourteen months ago, on August 9, 1988, Gretzky was handed over to the Los Angeles Kings by the Oilers. The shocking trade rocked the sports world and stunned the heart, which saw Ontario-born Gretzky as his son and fell into focus, while the Oilers would trade the greatest players in the game at his peak.
Gretzky first came to Edmonton as a 17-year-old in 1978, when the Oilers were still in the World Hockey Association (WHA) and appeared in the Alberta capital. In 1984, 1985, 1987 and 1988, he won the Oilers captain in four Stanley Cup championships, while also earning a franchise record of 1,669 points in 696 NHL regular seasons.
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Then, just like that, he left.
But Edmonton never stopped Egretzky. Although he soon became a celebrity in his new Hollywood home, Los Angeles’ feelings for Gretzky can never match the blue-collar hockey city he called home for a decade.
Close the record
In 1988-89, Gretzky scored 168 points in the Kings' first season, giving him only 13 points of a total of 1,850 points. With Gretzky's score, this record could drop sometime in the first 5-10 games next season.
Fans started math when the NHL schedule was announced in 1989-90: The Kings' first four games were home on the Great Western Forum, and their fifth date was in a game against the Vancouver Canucks. Game 6 will be at the old stampede in Gretzky, at the Northland Stadium in Edmonton.
Of course, everyone wants to see the record in their town break. But even Los Angeles fans must admit that there is no better and more suitable place than at the Northland Stadium. Edmonton deserves it. Gretzky certainly knows it.
Go to Edmonton to make history
Once the puck fell in the 1989-90 NHL season, people had a fever almost immediately. Howe arrived in Los Angeles for the Kings’ third game and planned to stick with the team, including on the road until Gretzky scored 1,851 points.
In the first four games in Los Angeles, Gretzky had a total of nine points. On October 13 in Vancouver, he scored two points in the first 59:58 of the game. He then assisted Steve Kasper to win the game against Canucks for the remaining second of the third phase, giving him 1,849 points.
Gretzky was confined to Northern Alberta, and only needed a single point to tie the record up and the two broke it. The world of hockey is electrified. This does happen: Gretzky will make history in Edmonton.
The moment that oil workers will not forget
At that time, the Oilers played five times in the five Stanley Cup finals and won four championships at Home Ice. But, it can be said that on October 15, 1989, nothing matched the atmosphere of the North China Stadium.
The sold-out crowd of 17,053 people showed their emotions early on. Gretzky needed all of the shifts in two shifts to fuse Mr. Hockey's record, scoring 1,850 points after Bernie Nicholls scored a goal of 4:32, prompting people to applaud.
But Gretzky was turned away for the rest of the first phase and for the rest of the second phase. When Kevin Lowe got a 4-3 lead in the third inning, he was still stuck at 1,850 points, and suddenly it seemed the record might not happen in the North.
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With 61 seconds left, Goilers Winger Winger Jari Kurri is Gretzky's long-term captive ice hockey in Edmonton. The nervous cacophony fills the stage as Gretzky prepares to take a draw on the left of Edmonton goalkeeper Bill Ranford.
Edmonton took the shot from the opposite side, but Kings guard Steve Duchesne beat Lowe's clearing attempt at the Oiler's blue line and drove the puck online, where it bounced Gretzky from Dave Taylor of Los Angeles, who passed Ranford's club in stage 3. In a moment, history has been made.
A unique celebration
Gretzky was ecstatic and as the gym broke out, his teammates were besieged by teammates. After a long applause, the game was stopped for an unprecedented 15-minute ceremony to celebrate the record.
Gretzky received a silver tray from the NHL, a crystal hologram from the King, and a golden bracelet containing 1.851 carats of diamonds. Howe gave a speech, then it was Gretzky, who had to wait for fans to stop chanting his name before he spoke.
Now is a complete hindsight idea and the game still has to be determined. After the action finally resumed, the team worked overtime and tied 4-4. Of course, the winning goal was a 3:24-point death scored by Gretzky.
Records may never be touched
Gretzky continued to play until 1999, accumulating 2,857 professional regular season NHL points. Two other players will eventually pass Howe: Mark Messier, who scored 1,887 points and Jaromir Jagr, who ranked second with 1,921 points.
As of October 14, 2024, the current active leader was Sidney Crosby, with 1,687 points, trailing Gretzky for nearly 1,200 points. Oilers captain Connor McDavid, 28, spent generations in January on numbers in the past few seasons, and only recently scored 1,000 points.
Gretzky's record has been 35 years. His top of the list of dominance in history may just be the beginning.
