NHL Roundup : No Goals, but Gretzky Collects 7 Assists

Wayne Gretzky is in the longest goal-scoring drought of his career, but neither the brilliant center nor his team, the Edmonton Oilers, are at all concerned.

Gretzky, while failing to score a goal for the ninth consecutive game, contributed a record-tying seven assists Friday night at Edmonton to lead the Oilers to an 8-2 victory over Quebec.

On his way to another record-breaking season, Gretzky has 156 points in 58 games. He has 118 assists and needs to get only 18 more in the last 22 games to break his own record for a season.

It was the third time that Gretzky had seven assists in a game. This feat was also performed by Billy Taylor of the Detroit Red Wings in 1947. No other NHL player has done it.

One of his assists came on Jari Kurri’s 43rd goal of the season.

If Gretzky, who has 38 goals, continues his scoring pace, he will break his own record for most points in a season. He will have 214; his record is 212.

Except for the suspense about Gretzky’s records, the only other important thing left to be decided in the NHL is who will have the best overall record and split up the $100,000 that goes to the winner.

The victory gave the Oilers a 39-13-6 record and 84 points. They have four more points than Philadelphia, but the Flyers have 23 games remaining, the Oilers 22. This battle could go right to the wire.

The Nordiques, leading the Adams Division, have only 68 points. The third best record is held by Washington, which has 70 points.

New York Rangers 7, Detroit 5--Hot-shooting Pierre Larouche ignited the Rangers’ drive to a victory that moved them into a tie for fourth place in the Patrick Division.

Larouche scored twice in the first period of this game at Detroit to put the Rangers in front, and they went on to win their third in a row.

Larouche has scored four goals in the last two games, and six in the eight games he has played since returning from exile in the minors.

Calgary 3, Buffalo 3--Rookie Joel Otto’s 14th goal of the season with 4:13 left in regulation at Calgary lifted the Flames to a tie.

Winnipeg 5, Hartford 4--Paul MacLean, playing despite a strained stomach muscle, scored his second goal of the game with just 28 seconds left at Winnipeg to give the Jets the victory.