Gretzky’s record turns 25

PHOENIX – Of all Wayne Gretzky’s NHL records, scoring 50 goals in 39 games is the one he cherishes most.

Gretzky set that mark on Dec. 30, 1981 – 25 years ago – when he scored five goals against Philadelphia while playing for Edmonton at Northlands Coliseum, the Oilers’ home rink.

“People ask me all the time about my records,” the Coyotes head coach said. “To me, that’s my favorite record because I think that it will really be the hardest one to break. Fifty goals in 39 games, that’s a lot of goals.”

Gretzky’s fifth goal that night was an empty-netter with 3 seconds left in the game that sent the crowd and his teammates into a frenzy.

“It was one of those things where once I got the fourth one, I knew I was going to get five,” Gretzky said. “I was going to pick the puck up and throw it in to get it. … Ironically, I probably should have had seven or eight goals that night. I had three or four point-blank chances that (Flyers goalie Pete) Peeters stopped. He made three or four big saves in the third period.”

With his 50 goals in 39 games, Gretzky demolished the record of 50 goals in 50 games, set by Maurice Richard (1944-45) and tied by Mike Bossy (1980-81).