EDMONTON, Alberta -- Wayne Gretzky became the NHL's all-time leading scorer with a third period goal to tie the score and then scored the game-winning goal in overtime Sunday night to send the Los Angeles Kings to a 5-4 victory over the Edmonton Oilers.
With a first-period assist Gretzky tied Gordie Howe as the league's scoring champion with his 1,850th point. His record-setting goal came on a backhanded shot over goaltender Bill Ranford's glove at 19:07 of the third period, tying the score 4-4. The game-winner came at 3:24 of sudden-death overtime when he flicked in a shot from in front of the net.
Play was suspended after therecord-setting point as presentations were made by the NHL, both teams and Howe, who had been travelling with the Kings since Oct. 8.
Edmonton had taken a 4-3 lead at 15:20 of the third when Glenn Anderson deflected in Kevin Lowe's drive on a power play.
Gretzky wasted little time tying the record, setting up the Kings' first goal at 4:32 of the first period.
With the teams playing four skaters aside, Gretzky dropped the puck to defenseman Tom Laidlaw, whose shot was redirected by Bernie Nicholls for the score.
Gretzky created the four-on-four situation when he forced former roommate Kevin Lowe to pull him down while the Kings were shorthanded. It was Gretzky's success on four-on-four situations, while with the Oilers, which caused the NHL to eliminate having teams play a man short each for coincidental minors.
Gretzky, who played the first 696 games of his NHL career with Edmonton, was given a resounding ovation on his historic point by the sellout crowd. Gretzky is still a fan favorite in Edmonton where he helped the Oilers win four Stanley Cups.
The Oilers took a 2-1 lead in the first period on goals by Craig Simpson at 6:35 and Jari Kurri on a power play at 9:18.
Defenseman Steve Duchesne evened the score for the Kings at 10:23 of the opening period with his first goal of the season.
The teams traded goals in the second period as Craig Muni slid in a shot 47 seconds into the period and Nicholls ripped in a power-play goal to tie the score 3-3 at 13:42.
