
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 19, 1995                   TAG: 9504190057
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: CALGARY, ALBERTA                                LENGTH: Medium

GRETZKY HITS 2,500 PLATEAU

Wayne Gretzky became the first player in NHL history to record 2,500 career points when he set up a power-play goal by Rob Blake on Monday night.

Gretzky is the league's all-time leader with 813 goals, 1,687 assists and 10 scoring titles. The 16-year veteran has 650 more points than runner-up Gordie Howe, who ended his Hall of Fame career in 1980 after 26 NHL seasons.

On the historic point, the Los Angeles Kings' superstar passed from the sideboards to Blake at the point. Blake's slap shot hit Flames goaltender Rick Tabaracci in the chest and trickled in at 11:01 of the first period.

The goal tied the score at 1, but the Flames won 5-2.

``Quite honestly, milestones like this are something I'll look back on later on,'' Gretzky said. ``Right now my concern and priority is to get us into the playoffs.''

Gretzky broke Howe's point-scoring record of 1,850 on Oct.15, 1989 at Edmonton with a goal against Bill Ranford, and eclipsed Howe's goal-scoring mark of 801 on March 23 of last season at the Los Angeles Forum against Vancouver's Kirk McLean.

Gretzky and Pittsburgh's Mario Lemieux are the only players to average two points per game throughout their NHL careers. The closest active player to Gretzky's point record is New York Rangers captain and former Edmonton teammate Mark Messier, who has 1,387 career points.

Combining his regular-season and playoff totals in the NHL and the World Hockey Association, Gretzky is only 24 points from the 3,000 mark in his pro career.

Gretzky does remember getting his first point on Oct. 10, 1979.

``I don't think you ever forget the first one,'' Gretzky said.

by CNB