Pittsburgh Penguins flashback: Lemieux vs. Gretzky

When the Pittsburgh Penguins and Edmonton Oilers suited up for their mid-winter game in February of 1988, there were a few intriguing storylines at play that made an otherwise dreary evening into a must-see event for the hockey world.

Eyes were fixated on Feb. 19, 1988, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, as Wayne Gretzky of the Edmonton Oilers entered the game tied with Gordie Howe for the league record in assists (1,049) and looked to the game versus the Pittsburgh Penguins to surpass his hero.

Given the perceived rivalry between Wayne “The Great One” Gretzky and Mario “Le Magnifique” Lemieux, breaking the assist record in front of an Edmonton crowd and “adversary” at the same time would be a nice addition to capturing the record.

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On the other side of the ice, Mario Lemieux was having a career year and looked to widen the point gap between him and Gretzky in the NHL’s scoring race.

It appeared that Lemieux was going to dethrone the reigning seven-season champion. Lemieux held a 15-point lead heading into the game and used a 12 game stretch where Gretzky was on the shelf with a sprained knee, to bolster his lead in the standings.

Lemieux, who was not immune to injuries, hoped an annual bout with bronchitis didn’t derail his attempt to win the title. He had faced the illness the previous two seasons (1986 and 1987) but quit smoking in the summer of 1987 and hoped it would increase his chances of keeping himself healthy.

Paul Coffey was facing his old team for the first time since he was traded to Pittsburgh in a seven-player deal on Nov. 24, 1987. Coffey won three Stanley Cups with the Oilers and was a key figure in helping Gretzky maintain his vice-like grip to the scoring title. The Penguins looked to the future hall of fame Defenceman to lead them to the postseason and provide Lemieux with more opportunities to create offensive output.

With all the makings of a classic contest, what was the eventual outcome of the game?

The Results

The Penguins lost the game 7-3 and both Lemieux and Gretzky left game in the 1st period with injuries.

Gretzky took an errant Rod Buskas stick to the face, which caused a scratch to his left eye and some bleeding to develop behind the eye.

Lemieux took a puck to the face from a shot that deflected off Oilers goaltender Grant Fuhr’s stick and cut his nose. Unlike Gretzky, Lemieux did not miss any games and managed to register an assist in the game.

Coffey failed to earn any points but managed to take 8 PIM (holding, tripping, high-sticking, cross-checking) and registered two shots on goal.

The Conclusion

The injury delayed Gretzky’s capture of the Howe record for 13 days. He broke the record on March 1, 1988, in a game versus the Los Angeles Kings. It took Howe 1,767 games to set the record and Gretzky (in his ninth season) just 678 games to tie the record and 680 games to break it. Gretzky also achieved the feat in 17 fewer seasons then it took Howe to set the record.

Lemieux claimed his first of six Art Ross Trophies with 168 points (70 goals and 98 assists) in 77 games played and finished 19 points ahead of Gretzky and his 149 points (40 goals and 109 assists) in 64 games played. Lemieux also added his first Hart Trophy and earned his second All-Star Game MVP of his career.