We’re normally starting up another hockey season, but we’re in a different world. Last Word on Hockey is still going to look back at each date’s historical significance to the game. We’ll remember the moments that shaped the sport of hockey that happened on this day. Here’s our look at this date in hockey history for October 26th, featuring Wayne Gretzky.
Today in Hockey History
Wayne Gretzky Nets Point No. 2,000
1990: The Los Angeles Kings great is the first to 2,000 points after an assist in a 6-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets. The helper gives Gretzky 684 goals and 1,316 assists in 857 NHL games. He finishes the 1990-91 season with 41 goals and 122 assists for 163 points.
The Great One gets two assists seven years later while as a member of the New York Rangers. He gets assist 1,850 and 1,851 in a 3-3 tie with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Gretzky finishes with 2,857 points for his career.
Other Notable Events
1978: Kings goalie Mario Lessard is the 14th goalie to earn a shutout in his NHL debut. Lessard gets plenty of backup from his team in a 6-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres.
1989: Sergei Mylnikov is the first goalie from the Soviet Union to play an NHL game. He makes 31 saves in the Quebec Nordiques 4-2 loss at the Boston Bruins.
1992: Mike Gartner passes Maurice Richard for ninth on the all-time goal scoring list. Gartner scores twice in the Rangers 8-4 win over the Washington Capitals.
1995: Mario Lemieux notches a hat trick to become the 20th player to net 500 career goals. He reaches the mark in his 605th career game in the Pittsburgh Penguins 7-5 win over the New York Islanders.
1997: Detroit Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman passes Alex Delvecchio for longest serving captain in NHL history. Yzerman was captain for 11 years and 12 games at that point in the season. Detroit beat the Vancouver Canucks, 5-1, to start the season at 6-0-0.
2002: The St. Louis Blues become the first team in league history to win four straight games with four different goalies. Fred Brathwaite stops 18 shots in the Blues’ 4-3 overtime victory against the Calgary Flames.
2006: Buffalo ties the league record for best start to a season with its 10th straight win. Ryan Miller stops 29 shots as the Sabres blank the Islanders, 3-0, at Nassau Coliseum. The win comes 31 years to the day after Buffalo beat the California Golden Seals, 3-2, for their eighth straight win to start a season, which was the old record.
2017: Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning extend their season-opening point streaks to 11 games in a 3-2 win over Detroit.
Happy Birthday to You
1898: Harry Oliver
1916: Jack Crawford
1976: Miikka Kiprusoff
