Hull Defines Career by Being in Right Slot

By ELLIOTT TEAFORD

Jan. 2, 2000 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

DALLAS —

Wayne Gretzky so regularly set up behind the opposing net for crafty passes out front that the spot became known as “Gretzky’s Office.”

What then must we call the slot, that dangerous patch of ice between the faceoff circles that Brett Hull has so often used as his staging ground for scoring goals?

“Hull House”?

Hull did it again Friday, scoring the 600th of his career by ripping a one-timer from the slot with his Dallas Stars on a third-period power play against the Mighty Ducks.

“When I was sitting on the bench in St. Louis, I think the majority of his goals were on one-timers from the slot,” said Duck goaltender Guy Hebert, who was Hull’s teammate with the Blues in the early 1990s.

“You always have to focus on him when he’s in the slot. I had him there for a little while [Friday]. I didn’t want to be the victim, but I was.”

Hebert then managed a faint smile.

Dallas had only two third-period shots in rallying for a 5-4 victory over the Ducks. Hull had both and both found their way past Hebert and into the net for goals No. 600 and 601.

“Finally, it’s over,” Hull said after joining 11 others in NHL history to reach 600, including his father, Bobby, who had most of his 610 goals with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Hull, whose Stars host the Kings on Monday at Reunion Arena, scored the 599th of his career in a loss Dec. 27 against the San Jose Sharks. He was then blanked in an overtime victory Wednesday against the New York Rangers.

For more than 40 minutes of an intense, back-and-forth game, it appeared the Ducks would deny Hull in his bid for 600. The Ducks took a 4-3 lead on Ted Donato’s goal 1:40 into the third period.

But with defenseman Jason Marshall in the penalty box for cross checking, the puck was slipped to Hull in the slot. Hebert moved a nanosecond too late and Hull’s shot hit nothing but net at the 6:36 mark.

The crowd at Reunion Arena roared in delight, the Stars mobbed Hull in celebration and the Ducks looked on in disgust. After taking a seat on the Dallas bench, Hull acknowledged the fans’ long ovation by standing, smiling and waving.

Bobby Hull was unable to attend the game because of a scheduling conflict. It did not seem to dampen the moment, however.

“I think it was particularly neat that I got the last goal of the century too,” Hull said of scoring No. 601, which sent the Ducks home with three consecutive defeats on their four-game trip.

“It’s been a great decade for me. I came over here [from St. Louis as a free agent before the 1998-99 season] and won a Stanley Cup and now this in only a year and a half.”

Hull’s 600th goal happened in his 900th game on the night before Y2K, nice round numbers in his mind. “It makes it easy to do the math,” he said.

There are other staggering figures.

Hull, 35, is the third-fastest to 600, trailing Gretzky, who accomplished the feat in 718 games, and Mario Lemieux (719 games). In the 1990s, Hull had 493 goals, 117 more than any other player. He also had more power-play goals (190) and game-winning goals (73) than anyone else in the decade.

And to think, Hull says he often has nightmares that he will never score another goal.

“Yeah, it’s really scary,” he said with a laugh. “I had [what seemed like] 50 shots in the last three games and they just aren’t going in the way they used to. Times change. The game has changed. I’m still creating lots of chances and if you keep doing that, they are bound to go in.

“But, yeah, I’m scared to death I will never score another one.”

Hull had consecutive seasons of 72, 86 and 70 goals with the Blues in the early ‘90s.

But his production has dropped significantly in recent seasons. Part of it has to do with playing a more well-rounded team game since he joined the Stars. But more defensive styles of play also have cut scoring around the league.

Hull, who has 15 goals this season, calls the hooking and holding so many teams use against him and other skilled players such as the Ducks’ Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne “Rodeo Hockey.”

Asked how long he might continue to play under those conditions, Hull said:

“The game isn’t a whole bunch of fun to play anymore. But it’s also a game I love and I think I said it last week, but I come to the rink every day hoping it’s going to change back to the way it was.

“Honestly, they pay such nice sums of money to us that you would be crazy to retire until they kick you off the ice. What better living can you make as a young man? You wake up at 9, go to the rink and be on the golf course by 1?”

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NHL players who have scored 600 or more goals:

Player Goals

1. Wayne Gretzky: 894

2. Gordie Howe: 801

3. Marcel Dionne: 731

4. Phil Esposito: 717

5. Mike Gartner: 708

6. x-Mark Messier: 615

7. Mario Lemieux: 613

8. Bobby Hull: 610