Gretzky Breaks Goal-Scoring Records

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The Fastest to Fifty Goals

In the 1944-45 season Maurice “Rocket” Richard scored the fastest 50 goals in NHL history when he pocketed his 50th goal in his 50th game of the season. Hockey pundits at the time believed that the record would be impossible to break, and were hailing Richard as the best of all time.

Gretzky in his third season in the NHL was already proving no record was safe while he was healthy and could play. In his first season with the Oilers he was having a tremendous year, tying Marcel Dionne for the scoring title. That year he confessed that he was largely sick for most of the season with tonsillitis effecting his production. In his second—a largely healthy one— he broke Phil Esposito’s record of 152 points in a season with 164. He collected 109 assists that year, breaking Bobby Orr’s 1970-71 record of 102. Extrapolating his accomplishments from the last two seasons, projections were high for his third year.

By December 30, 1981, Gretzky had already amassed 45 goals in just his 38th game. Four of those goals came the game before while the Oilers were playing the Los Angeles Kings. Richard’s record was in jeopardy and the Oilers knew that it was going to be short order before the record would fall. A celebration would need to be planned; a statement to the rest of league that there should be no doubt who the greatest player is.

It took one game, and no one in the front office was prepared. “We weren’t ready for it,” explained Oilers’ media director Bill Tuele. “How do you plan for a five-goal night?”  Nine goals in two games: no one could prepare for that.

The 39th game of the season was against the Philadelphia Flyers, another team that could put the puck in the net.  Unlike many high-scoring teams, Philidelphia balanced their attack with solid  defenence, and were a test to any team in the league.

Goals came easy for both teams that night, and Gretzky, who was firing at will, kept Edmonton in the lead for most of the game. Four goals at every possible angle and distance and yet the score with a minute to play was 6-5 for Edmonton.

Philadelphia decided to go for the tie, and pulled net-minder Pete Peeters in favour of the extra attacker. With Philadelphia pressing, Glenn Anderson found and controlled the puck, and saw Gretzky streaking down the middle. A pass, and Gretzky was gone. His fiftieth goal was a slam-dunk into an empty net.

Philadelphia coach Bobby Clarke’s expression after the night was over said it all. Slumped on the player’s bench in the Flyer locker room, Clarke showed a mixture of complete awe and fear. “This is absolutely crazy,” said Clarke. “Gretzky comes out of nowhere…it’s scary.”

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