Their Silence Honors a Golden Moment : Reaction: Those closest to Gretzky share the crowd’s awe after his record-tying goal.

On the ice at San Jose Arena, there was a wild celebration. But in the special box containing the Gretzky family, there was only silence.

Stunned silence.

For a couple of seconds, there was no visible reaction to Wayne Gretzky’s 801st career goal, tying Gordie Howe’s all-time NHL mark.

“We all froze,” said Mike Barnett, Gretzky’s agent. “We realized we were witnessing history. It was like time stood still in the arena.”

There was time for Walter Gretzky, who suffered a brain aneurysm 2 1/2 years ago, to enjoy having recovered enough to view in person one of the crowning achievements of his son’s brilliant career.

There was time for Phyllis Gretzky to smile at the accuracy of her prediction. She had announced Sunday morning that her son would get two goals later that day.

Asked what prompted her to make that prediction, Phyllis, who has been traveling with the Kings, said, “I want to go home.”

There was time for Janet Gretzky to marvel at seeing her husband tie a record she didn’t even know existed when she started dating him. The St. Louis native had never even heard of Gordie Howe when she met Wayne.

And there was time for Barnett to recall when he had first seen Gretzky play as a teen-ager.

“You knew right then,” Barnett said, “that something special was happening.”

After the initial silence in the box, the family all began yelling, “He did it! 801! He did it!”

Once again, as he had done in Edmonton when he had broken Howe’s career mark for points, Gretzky reached a milestone at a crucial point in a game.

In Edmonton, Gretzky set the points record with a goal that sent the game into overtime, then won it in the extra period.

Sunday, Gretzky scored his record-tying goal with 49 seconds to play to enable the Kings to tie the San Jose Sharks, 6-6.

Does he have any idea how he is able to rise to such occasions?

“No, but I love it,” Gretzky said.

“That’s why he is what he is,” King owner Bruce McNall said.

“That’s the very reason he belongs in Los Angeles,” Barnett said.

“Wayne always seems to bring out the drama and make it exciting,” Janet said.

The only way Sunday afternoon could have been any better would have been if Howe himself had been there to share in the joy.

He has stayed away from Gretzky’s record-breaking tour, maintaining that 801 is not the true record total, insisting that the goals Howe scored in the old World Hockey Assn. should also count, boosting the career mark to 975.

“Gordie and Colleen (his wife) feel the excitement,” said Janet, who has spoken to the couple several times recently. “It’s been a little bit of a travel situation for them. They have their own lives.”

Might the Howes now change their travel plans and head west in time for the Kings’ next game, Wednesday night at the Forum against the Vancouver Canucks?

“I think,” Janet said with a smile, “that might be a good time for them to come.” Especially if Phyllis Gretzky is to be believed.

Asked when her son would score No. 802, she said: “He’ll definitely do it Wednesday.”