Gretzky Gets a Red Light Special: 700 : Hockey: The goal makes him the fourth to score 700 in NHL history. He adds two more in leading the Kings over the New York Islanders, 6-3.

For the 700th time in his NHL career, Wayne Gretzky had the puck on his stick Thursday night and that knowing look in his eye.

For the 700th time, an NHL goalie’s heart dropped as he realized he was about to become another victim of No. 99.

And for the 700th time, Gretzky took his magical swing and a red light went on.

Gretzky not only scored his historic 700th goal Thursday at the Nassau Coliseum, but he added two more to lead the Kings to a 6-3 victory over the New York Islanders before 12,585.

Gretzky is fourth on the goal list behind Gordie Howe (801), Marcel Dionne (731) and Phil Esposito (717).

While it’s true there are already enough Gretzky entries in the NHL record book to make it read like his biography, he wasn’t blase about this latest.

“It’s always nice to have another one,” he said.

Gretzky’s historic goal came at 11:48 of the first period to break a scoreless tie. Tomas Sandstrom began the scoring sequence by feeding Brian Benning in the slot.

Benning’s shot was blocked by Islander defenseman Craig Ludwig. But as he fell to the ice, Benning spotted Gretzky out of the corner of his eye, perched by the left post. With a sweep of his stick, Benning pushed the puck past Ludwig and through the slot to Gretzky.

Center Brent Sutter had come over to fight Gretzky for control, but Gretzky was too quick--especially with goalie Glenn Healy on the other side.

“I just backhanded it into the top corner,” Gretzky said. “It was a pretty empty net.”

Both Benning and Sandstrom were thrilled to have a tiny piece of the moment.

“It’s an honor to be part of Gretz’s career,” Benning said. “It’s an honor just to play with him.”

Said Sandstrom: “If you’re playing with him, you know you are going to be a part of these things. He was just flying tonight. It’s fun to watch him play.

“I knew it was going to be a big thing when he got his 700th, but he’ll probably get 800 or more.”

With Gretzky still 23 days short of his 30th birthday, his ascension to the head of the class seems inevitable, barring injury.

Would scoring his 802nd goal mean more to him than his 1,851st point, scored last season to break Howe’s NHL record? “I think 800 would be harder to break,” he said. “Because of the way the game is played, someone is going to get 2,500 or 3,000 points. There are so many good kids now. The way they are coached and the way they play the game, 800 is going to be tougher.”

Although he has 2,052 points in his career, Gretzky feels several of his other marks will last longer.

“The ones that are going to be the toughest to break,” he said, “are the 163 assists, 92 goals (both season NHL records) and the 50-39 (50 goals in the first 39 games of a season).”

Gretzky’s hat trick was the 47th of his career, extending his league record, and his fourth as a King.

It gives him a club-leading 25 goals and a league-leading 73 points.

But with all of Gretzky’s heroics, the Kings still needed two goals from Brad Jones (his sixth and seventh) and Luc Robitaille’s 20th to put away the Islanders, who got two goals from team leader Pat LaFontaine (his 22nd and 23rd) and Ken Baumgartner’s first goal of the season.

The victory improved the Kings’ record to 20-14-5 and gave them a sweep of the season series with the Islanders. New York, last in the Patrick Division, fell to 14-21-5.

Gretzky graciously accepted the congratulations of well-wishers in the locker room but emphasized where his career focus remains.

“I know this may sound crazy,” he said, “but someone may come along someday and break my records. But the one thing they can’t take away from me is my championships. My only real goal now is to win a Stanley Cup with this team.”

King Notes

Wayne Gretzky and Luc Robitaille were named starters Thursday for the Campbell Conference in the Jan. 19 NHL All-Star Game in Chicago, based on voting by the fans. Also on the front line will be Brett Hull of the St. Louis Blues. The defensemen will be Chris Chelios of the hometown Blackhawks and Al MacInnis of Calgary. Fellow Flame Mike Vernon will start in goal. . . . King center Steve Kasper flew home Thursday after suffering a fractured sinus cavity Wednesday night against the New York Rangers. Kasper skated into one of the metal posts that support the boards at Madison Square Garden. Kasper is expected back when the Kings return home next week. . . . Center Todd Elik was taken to a nearby hospital for stitches after he was cut around the right eye by the stick of the Islanders’ Derek King at the end of the second period. . . . King defenseman Rod Buskas sat out with a bruised heel. . . . Front liner Scott Bjugstad returned to the lineup after missing six games with a knee injury.