Gretzky Scores First Career Goal

Wayne Gretzky’s first NHL goal was not his best. Gretzky himself was less than flattering of his first NHL marker. In Gretzky an autobiography, he suggested it was “not a real glorious start to my NHL career.”

On October 14, 1979, the Edmonton Oilers were playing poorly against the Vancouver Canucks. Gretzky, in particular, was struggling for most of the night. Down by a goal with a minute and a half to play in the third period, Edmonton needed an equalizer to salvage the game. The Oilers best opportunity for a tie came with a two-man advantage.

Earlier, referee Bob Myers was ready to call a penalty on Stan Smyl for tripping Gretzky, even though Smyl was on a breakaway at the time. With Oilers goalie Dave Dryden rushing to the players bench for an extra attacker, Gretzky was finding his way towards Canucks goalie Glen Hanlon’s crease. With the puck on his stick, he faked Hanlon with a move and was ready for a shot on his backhand. He whiffed. Fortunately, Hanlon opened his five-hole, and a trickling puck made its way past the goal line.

The goal was not fancy but in an interview after the game he contemplated, “When details get back to (his hometown) Brantford, I’ll have scored an end-to-end rush.” His first NHL marker may not be his prettiest but over his career he would count over a thousand more, many of them amazing end-to-end rushes.

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