Gretzky Becomes the Greatest One : Hockey: King center passes Gordie Howe as the all-time scoring leader with 1,852 points, and he scores the last two goals to help beat Edmonton, 5-4.

For dramatic effect, Wayne Gretzky kept a sellout crowd of 17,503 at the Northlands Coliseum and a host of special guests--including Gordie Howe--waiting until 53 seconds remained in the game Sunday night before getting the goal that made him the leading scorer in National Hockey League history.

Gordie Howe’s record of 1,850 points, set more than 29 years ago when he passed Maurice (Rocket) Richard on Jan. 16, 1960, became Gretzky’s when he scored the game-tying goal, wrapping around and waiting just to the left of the crease for the puck that came on a pass from Steve Duchesne, glanced off Dave Taylor and skipped across the front of the net to his stick.

As if it were meant to happen on this ice, for these fans.

Gretzky flipped the puck past goalie Bill Ranford, turned and danced away, finally hopping into the arms of teammate Larry Robinson as the rest of the Kings poured off the bench to congratulate him.

And then, after the ceremony that celebrated the historic point, Gretzky added the even more dramatic finishing touch in overtime. He wrapped around behind the net, popped out around the left post again and backhanded the puck into the net for the game-winning goal, which upped his points total to 1,852 and gave the Kings a 5-4 victory over the Edmonton Oilers.

When his former teammate, Mark Messier, reached out to shake his hand during the ceremony and Gretzky hugged him instead, he dealt with all the mixed emotions he felt when the Kings eliminated the Oilers during the playoffs last spring.

He was thrilled with his record goal, but he knew how upset Messier was that the goal had tied the score; just as he had been thrilled to advance in the playoffs while aching for the players with whom he had shared four Stanley Cup victories.

“That was about the time we both started to get a little choked up,” Gretzky said. “He was excited for me, but down deep he was upset we tied the hockey game. He would have been more happy for me if they were winning.”

During the ceremony, the Oilers gave Gretzky a gold bracelet set with diamonds weighing 1.851 carats (representing his 1,851 points) with the inscription on the back: “A great man is made up of qualities that meet or make great occasions. Presented in friendship by the Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club 1989-90.”

During the game, the Oilers gave Gretzky nothing.

In fact, the culmination of Esa Tikkanen’s bothersome shadowing, defenseman Kevin Lowe’s hard checking and Peter Ericksson’s stick to Gretzky’s face left him wondering if he could play the third period.

“I got my bell run a couple of times,” Gretzky said.

With 1 minute 46 seconds left in regulation, King Coach Tom Webster called a 30-second timeout. Gretzky had been on the ice the shift before and wanted to stay out there to try to tie the score, but he needed a breather.

“He was dizzy,” Webster said. “He got rapped a couple of times, but he wanted to continue. I’m not about to argue with him.

“At the end of the first period he played for about six minutes. When you have a player with his talent who wants the ice time, I’m going to let him have it . . .

“We were double-shifting him to try to get him away from Tikkanen a little bit.”

Tikkanen and Lowe were both on the ice for both of Gretzky’s goals.

For the goal that tied the score and broke the record, the Kings were skating six-on-five. Webster had pulled goalie Mario Gosselin in favor of an extra attacker. So Gretzky was on the ice with forwards Bernie Nicholls, Dave Taylor and Luc Robitaille, and defenseman Duchesne and Robinson when he broke the record.

“It was so exciting to be a part of history,” Webster said. “For him to tie it up with one goal and win it with the other--well, I don’t think Mr. (Bruce) McNall could write a better script than that.”

McNall, owner of the Kings, walked out on the red carpet with Gretzky’s father, Walter, and his wife, Janet, to take part in the 15-minute ceremony that came after the record goal.

The Edmonton fans gave Gretzky a three-minute standing ovation while the teammates mobbing Gretzky came to order and league officials set up for the presentations.

Besides the bracelet from the Oilers, Gretzky was presented with an inscribed silver tray from the league and with a crystal hologram from the Kings.

Scotty Morrison of the NHL Hall of Fame was there to collect the puck and stick used to break the record. After the game, he collected the jersey.

There had been a plan to have Gretzky take off his sweater and give it to Morrison on the spot, and put on another sweater. But that would mean that there would be two game sweaters.

Morrison said: “Some collector somewhere might get his hands on the second sweater and make a big deal about it. We want one sweater, and we want it in the Hall of Fame.”

Morrison has collected the puck from every point in the countdown and plans to use them to make countdown clock at the Hall of Fame.

Gretzky thanked everyone he could think of and said: “An award like this takes a lot of teamwork. Both teams that are here today are definitely part of this record.”

The Edmonton fans loved the acknowledgement that the Oilers helped him to 1,669 of the points.

It was surprising that Gretzky broke the record with a goal. Most of his points have been scored on assists.

Howe set the record with 801 goals and 1,049 assists. With the game-tying goal, Gretzky broke the record with 641 goals and 1,210 assists.

Gretzky had tied the record with an assist on a goal by Nicholls 4:32 into the game. Gretzky had sent the puck to defenseman Tom Laidlaw in the slot, and Laidlaw had given it to Nicholls in the left crease for the game’s first goal.

The Oilers scored the next two goals before Steve Duchesne tied it again for the Kings, 2-2, in the first period. Gretzky had a beautiful opportunity to score his record-breaking goal at the end of the first period during a two-man advantage, but the Oilers held him off.

In the second period, the Oilers went ahead for the first time on a goal by Craig Muni, but Nicholls answered that with a power-play goal.

In the third period, Lowe put the Oilers up again with a strong slapshot from the blue line.

But Gretzky’s record goal tied the game at 19:07.

It was an emotional game for everyone.

Even Oiler owner Peter Pocklington, the man who has been hung in effigy for, essentially “selling” The Great One to Los Angeles, claimed to be moved.

“If there is a hockey god, he was smiling on Wayne tonight,” Pocklington said.

On his way to the Kings’ dressing room to congratulate Gretzky, Pocklington stopped in the hallway to talk to reporters and then hug and congratulate McNall.

As McNall approached, Pocklington was just getting to the part where he was saying, “Bruce McNall made one of the best deals in the history of the game. Not many owners would have the courage to pay what he did for one player.

“There is no question that Wayne is the greatest player who ever played the game or every will play the game.

“To be a part of his life . . . to have known him since he was a 17-year-old and to have seen his career--I can’t say culminate, because he’s still going he could score another 1,000 points--I have so many feelings.”

Pocklington, a man much-maligned for making the deal that, reportedly, he was forced by financial strife to make, seemed to be overwhelmed with emotion. He spoke slowly and softly, apparently groping for words.

“I think maybe I feel like he did on the day he was traded to L.A.,” Pocklington said. “I know that he’s been the greatest thing that ever happened to the game of hockey . . . But I have no regrets. . . . Absolutely I’m glad he got the record here. I have to admit that I’m entirely stirred. I’m moved. Wayne did so much for the Oilers and the league. He continues to do so much for the league.

“I have to say I have no regrets, because I think I did the right thing giving Wayne the chance to grow in L.A.”

It was an astonishing scene given the degree of ill will that developed between Gretzky and Pocklington at the time of the trade.

It became even more astonishing when, right in the midst of Pocklington’s attempt to be warm and gracious toward the Kings, right in front of McNall, a radio reporter insisted upon asking Pocklington about some of his latest financial woes.

Pocklington gave the reporter a sharp shove, then jammed a microphone into the reporter’s face while shouting a few choice words that will never make the airwaves.

Gretzky missed all that.

He was sitting alongside his boyhood idol, the great Gordie Howe, basking in the glory of the moment.

King Notes

Brian Mulroney, Canada’s prime minister, sent this message to Wayne Gretzky: “I am pleased to join all Canadians in applauding your becoming the National Hockey League’s all-time leading champion. That you could break Gordie Howe’s mark in such a short time is truly remarkable. The numbers, though, only tell part of the Wayne Gretzky story. Canadians are all most proud of you and thankful for the way you have represented our country. You have been embraced by hockey fans around the world, and your humility and grace provide great inspiration for our youth. You continue to be an ambassador for the game.”

Jimmy Carson, the primary player traded to Edmonton for Gretzky, was officially suspended by the Oilers Saturday for “not meeting his contractual agreements.” By the time the suspension was announced, Carson was on his way to his home in Redondo Beach. He will be sitting there, without pay, awaiting word that the Oilers have traded him. Realistically, it’s the only course for the Oilers to take. Carson has made it clear that he wants to play in a U.S. city. Oiler President and General Manager Glen Sather told the Edmonton Journal Saturday: “What he’s doing now doesn’t seem very smart, and the timing isn’t very good at all. We’ve got a big game with the Kings.”

GRETZKY’S ROAD TO 1,852 POINTS

Gordie Howe’s all-time regular-season scoring record (points and assists) was 1,850. The Kings’ Wayne Gretzky was credited with three points Sunday to break that record.

POINT NO.: 1,850 GORDIE HOWE IN 1980: April 6 Detroit at Hartford Assists on first period-goal by Nick Fotiu. Goaltender: Mike Liut

WAYNE GRETZKY IN 1989: Oct. 15 Kings at Edmonton Assists on Bernie Nicholls’ first-period goal. Goaltender: Bill Ranford

POINT NO.: 1,851 WAYNE GRETZKY IN 1989: Oct. 15 Kings at Edmonton Scores goal at 19:07 of second period. Assists to Dave Taylor and Steve Duchesne. Goaltender: Bill Ranford

POINT NO.: 1,852 WAYNE GRETZKY IN 1989: Oct. 15 Kings at Edmonton Scores goal at 3:24 of overtime. Assists to John Tonelli and Larry Robinson. Goaltender: Bill Ranford